


Love From Unexpected Places

by animefan021513



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Battle, Cupid gets involved, Eventual Romance, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, First Love, Love at First Sight, Music, Romance, Secrets, Song Lyrics, Songfic, True Love, fears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-10
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-11-14 21:18:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 40,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18060317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/animefan021513/pseuds/animefan021513
Summary: The story starts with a normal human woman who just recently lost her brother, but she still somehow enjoys music. The problem is, even though she feels a strong desire to dance and the music practically speaks to her, she has never danced in front of anyone. So, what happens when Manny offers a chance to change that a little? What will happen to her life after she accepts? What connection does she have with 'her spiritual birthday twin' Jack Frost? What leads to their meeting? What leads to Pitch being needed? How and Why is Aurora able to convince Pitch to join the Guardians to fight another type of darkness? Read and Find out!P.S. I haven't written an E or an M in a very very long time...like I'm talking...years! So...please be merciful in the comments and let me know what you think! Alright...please enjoy!





	1. Meeting the Man in the Moon

**Author's Note:**

> Please note that any songs or lyrics that are in my fanfic...they do not belong to me. I do not own them! No copyright infringement intended! I only own the imagination that created the fanfic! Not the songs! The songs aren't mine! I swear! Okay...enjoy :)

The year was 1712 and Aurora Muse was watching the people of the small village she lived in while they were dancing to various different songs and although she had always loved the sound of music being played whether it was a slow lethargic song or if it was an upbeat dancing tune she never danced with them. However, it always spoke something to her heart and soul when she heard music and as far as she could tell, it's been like that for as long as she could remember. The want to dance never once left her no matter the tune. It was usually that the slow music made her wish to simply sway with her dress waving back in forth in the breeze. The slightly faster tempos that were usually meant for dancing with a partner, she wished to twirl along with a smile on her face, but that's not how it was supposed to be danced, and when this type of song came about, you had to follow the rules. Then, there were the faster upbeat tempos that had people up on their feet, but it was still usually couples or at the very least, two people taking one another hand in hand to dance to the lovely tune. All the while, her heart keeps in time with the music and her soul sings it's own unknown lyrics. She wants to dance, but she doesn't at the same time, and she doesn't really know why. So, she slowly lifts herself up from where she was and walked out to the middle of the nearby forest underneath the beautifully pale moonlight where the music could still be heard, but she couldn't be seen.

She looked up at the moon and gave a heavy sigh. "I had never danced in my life...I have swayed, I have jumped, and I have even senselessly twirled about, but what the others do is dancing...what I do...is almost like a crazed woman starving for attention. I dance without a partner, and besides...I wouldn't even know _how_  to dance with one if I  _had_  one. Not only that, but I'm not built for dancing. My own little brother calls me fluffy and he..." She let out a sigh and shook her head. "...Anyway, even though I'm quite healthy, I have thick thighs, full hips, and big breasts...Everyone else in the village is pretty and thin or at least close to thin...and the men are all muscular from their hard work in the fields, aside from my little brother of course, but he..." She trailed off and didn't know what compelled her to talk to the moon, but it helped relieve the slight ache on her chest.

_"The music speaks to you?"_

She looked around to see who could've spoken, and there was no one. Not even a stray shadow underneath the moonlight. "Hello?" She called out curiously.

_A warm chuckle could be heard all around her. "You speak to me, yet you don't listen when I speak back?"_

"What are you talking about? I was talking to the..." Her emerald green eyes went wide, and her gaze darted back up to the moon above her. "...the moon." She finished.

_"Yes?"_

"You...you talk!?"

_"Well...to be fair, I'm not actually the moon. I'm the man in the moon, although most have come to call me Manny. You may if you wish."_

"Alright...um...am I going crazy?"

_"No, you are not, and no you wouldn't be the first to ask that. So, the music speaks to you, but you feel as if you can't dance to the tune as you wish?"_

"That's about the right of it. Why do you ask?"

_"Well, It's just a curious thing to behold from where I sit. Someone who has such a strong feeling in their heart and soul yet doesn't act on it. So, I have a question and perhaps a proposition for you if you answer the question like I think you will."_

"Oh, and what would that be...Manny?" She asked as she tucked back her long wavy orange hair with a smirk on her lips, a raised eyebrow, and her hands resting on her full hips.

_"If you could, would you give others that wonderful feeling you feel...even if the music isn't playing? What if you had the power to place a song in their head to inspire them to dance or to play music themselves?"_

"That sounds interesting...do you often give people powers?"

_"You're a smart woman." Manny laughed warmly. "Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't. After my conversation is done with you, I have to go speak with another and give him his name, but I'm not sure if I will be able to speak to him or anyone else for a long time after that."_

"Why is that?"

_"It takes a lot of power to speak to mortals or anyone on Earth really, from where I am."_

"Huh...so I guess you require an answer tonight?"

_"That would be appreciated."_  Manny chuckled lightly.

"Well...It's a wonderful feeling...this feeling I have. I see the others dance, and it is obvious to me that they have this feeling to...but not to this extent..."

_"Do you wish to give others this same feeling?"_

"I..." She looked back at her village, hearing the song change to an upbeat tempo, and her heart sang with it's rhythm. "I do."

_"Very well...now here is the proposition...I can give you the power to do that, but you wouldn't be able to be seen until people believe in you. You will have to gain that on your own, but you would essentially be immortal, so you don't have to worry about finding belief before you die."_

"Well, it's not like there's anything here for me anyway...Would I be able to do anything else apart from what you just told me?"

_"Would you like the power of flight so you could get around easier?"_

Her eyes went wide with wonder and excitement. "Yes, please."

_"Then let my moon beam touch you, and you will become one such person. You may feel and look a bit different, but that should be fine."_

"Well, considering I'm already not exactly shaped like everyone else..."

_"That is not a bad thing, and don't you let anyone else tell you otherwise. Remember my words, Aurora. Now, hold still."_ She did as she was told and held still as the warm moon beam encompassed her entire being. She felt as if a bonfire was being lit from her toes to the top of her head, but it wasn't burning. She felt a strange sort of thrumming as she could still hear the music play, and she could feel it in her heart and soul now, more than ever. She didn't know when she had closed her eyes, but when she opened them, she watched as the moon beams shifted away towards the pond, and figured that's where the next person was that he wanted to talk to, so she decided not to interfere. She heard Manny's voice speak as gently as a father to a son when he said,  _"Your name is Jack Frost."_ Then his voice was gone, just like he thought it would. She shrugged and decided to try and test out her powers, figuring that perhaps who ever Jack Frost was might do the same.

She felt it in her entire body that she would be able to fly, but she needed something to assist her. So, she decided to walk back to her small home and grabbed the staff her grandfather had hand carved. She admired how it gracefully curved from the top to the middle of it, and when she held it in her hand, it was almost as if it completed her. She left her home and immediately took the sky, and was extremely shocked when she soared way higher than she thought she would. Her village looked so small from where she was at, and below her, she saw someone else flying towards her village as the music began to come to an end. He looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place him. However, without realizing it, the wind had seemingly taken her to the nearby pond and what she saw made her jaw drop. The pond was completely frosted in beautiful patterns as well as two trees. She chuckled to herself as she took in the wondrous sight, with a clear idea as to who perhaps made the intricate patterns. "Well,  _Jack Frost_...looks like we're spiritual birthday twins. Spiritual brother and sister." After that she had taken to the skies once more, eager to test our just exactly what her powers could do.


	2. Meeting Jack Again After He...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just another reminder...I DO NOT OWN THE SONGS OR THE LYRICS! That is all...carry on!
> 
> Song: Brother  
> By: Kodaline

Fast forward three hundred and seven years, still no one sees her, but for the most part she's okay with it. She had heard that seven years ago, Jack Frost had made it to the high title of Guardian and of how he helped save the children of the world from someone called Pitch Black or the Boogeyman, and she couldn't be more proud of her spiritual twin brother...whom she still hasn't seen or met yet. She saw him all those years ago, but at that moment he was a bit of a flying blur. Anytime it seems like she's about to meet him, she feels an ache in her chest of someone who needs to be inspired with music and dance, or one of the two. She had figured out that she could do exactly what the moon had said, but she also figured out what pulls her. There is an ache in her heart and soul when someone is in need of her powers, and it's usually if they have a song stuck in their head, if they feel self conscious, if they want to sing but they won't, if they want to dance but they won't, if they are having a bad day, if they need a song that fits their emotion, if they need to let go of their stress...so many emotions that tie into the need for her, and she delivers it happily as she always enjoys the various reactions it gets. Some are so inspired they cry, some cry because it was a sad song they needed to hear, some quietly dance in their chairs, some watch the videos connected to the song and their heart feels infinitely better no matter the emotion, and it makes her own heart and soul dance and sing with joy that she could give what they needed.

She has also realized that everyone has their own special song that exists in the world. Many people share the same song, but it connects to every person in a different way. She has started to call it a heart song. A song that someone can't help but sing, dance, or even feel the strongest emotions to. She has realized that almost no one knows their heart song, so she takes it upon herself to give it to them. She had met cupid a few times, and they worked together with her gift of giving heart songs for those who share one in a romantic way, and in doing so, she found that friends or even strangers can share a heart song in a friendly manner or even in a sibling manner. She found it interesting and used  _that one_  to give to people who were meant to be best friends forever or at least as long as they can.

Another fun realization she has noticed in the people who keep to themselves the most, is that they actually have more than at least five heart songs, and the songs usually relate to those they are acquainted with, and how they feel about them. Even if it's feelings they won't admit, which Cupid had a good laugh about as well as fun time.

She was about to be on her way to a high school girl who had just had a fight with her mother about typical teenager stuff, and felt that she needed a particularly fun, loud, and angsty song, but then she saw someone pass her vision. It was strange, and not normal for the area she was in. So, she went to go check it out, and she was brought to the back of a grocery store, and she was met with a familiar face that she never really spoke to. "G'day, mate."

"Hello there. You must be the Easter Bunny, which is strange considering it's March...Shouldn't you be preparing? Is there something I can help you with?" She questioned with a sly smile as she noticed that he had at least six heart songs swirling around, but none were quite at an audible level for her to hear so he wasn't thinking about whoever they involved, at the moment.

"Actually there is. Ya see, Sheila..."

"Aurora." She stated with mild irritation.

"Excuse me?"

"My name is Aurora. Not Mate or Sheila...it's Aurora."

"Ah..." Bunny's eyes widened in shocked understanding as he nodded his head. "...Very well then, Aurora. Yes, there is something you can do for me. You can come with me to the North Pole."

"Why would I want to go there? Why would a bunny be at the North Pole?"

"Wow..." Bunny's eyes went increasingly wide. "...you don't really know what's at the North Pole do ya?"

"Should I?"

"Uh...yeah...pretty much every spirit knows about the North Pole...and if they don't, they hear it in children's stories about Santa Clause, and then they know. What do you do?"

"I don't really stick around much to listen to stories...I follow the hearts and souls of people and provide them the inspiration to sing, dance, or I provide them the songs they need the most."

"Hearts huh? Isn't that Cupid's job?"

"She's a good friend, and I've worked with her, but no. My job is different. I don't make people fall in love. Now, you said you wanted me to join you at the North Pole...why?"

"Have you heard of the Guardians?"

"Yes, There is North, you, Toothfairy, Sandman, and Jack Frost." The last name brought a small smile to her face, and Bunny noticed, but didn't say anything.

"Right...well, do you know who appoints the Guardians?"

"No, not really..."

"The man in the moon, but we all call him..."

"MANNY!? MANNY APPOINTS THE GUARDIANS!?" Her jaw dropped as she looked up to the bright blue sky, knowing that Manny wouldn't show up at this time.

"So I take it ya know Manny." Bunny chuckled lightly as he crossed his arms.

"Yeah, you could say that. He turned me into what I am." She admitted with a fond smile as she looked back at their conversation.

"Figures...well, he has apparently decided that ya are to be a Guardian. Not gonna lie, you were a bit difficult to find, you're all over the place."

"That tends to happen when your job is to affect the hearts and souls of mortals."

"Mortals? Not just children?"

"No, I am not limited to just children. I can focus on people as old as a hundred if they still have the will to sing or dance or the ability to listen to music. So, to the North Pole then...I may need to take your tunnels as it is, I don't know how to get there."

"No need...North insisted I use one of his snow globes." Bunny groaned as he rolled his eyes, and he took out a round sphere with beautiful snow particles swirling around. "The North Pole." He told it and threw it against the back of the store. He looked back at Aurora who held pure wonder in her eyes, and he couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped his lips. "After you, Aurora."

She smiled and walked through the strange portal, and was instantly surprise when she arrived in a large building that was more like a castle without all the walls. She looked around, and heard Bunny come behind her. "This is the North Pole?"

"Yup." He stated simply. "And these are the rest of the Guardians."

She turned around, gripping tightly to her staff, but when she saw who was in front of her, her grip slacked and she dropped her staff. She quickly made to pick it up as she stared at the white haired boy in front of her, and noticed that he started narrowing his eyes at her as well. Then, realization settled on both of them. "YOU! YOU'RE  _ALIVE!?_ " They shouted at the same time with shocked expressions while pointing their staffs towards each other with shocked smiles.

"You two uh...know each other?" North questioned with curious eyes that went back and forth from Jack and Aurora.

However, they both ignored his question as they immediately rushed towards each other and embraced each other in a tight hug that would easily rival one of North's hugs. Once they let go of each other they started asking questions. "Jack, how are you here!?"

"ME!? How are  _you_  here!?" He questioned excitedly.

"You answer me first! I want answers!" She started stating with a slightly hurt tone, and the others noticed it, but didn't say anything. "I deserve answers after how Sarah came home bawling her eyes out!"

"Wait...who's Sarah?" Bunny asked with pure fascination and curiosity.

"Our little sister!" They chorused together as they kept their glares on each other.

"Little Sister!?" The other guardians said together in pure shock.

"When we were human..." Jack began to explain. "...She was...IS my big sister..." He said as he pointed at Aurora who was growing less and less amused.

"Yeah, and because of the heartbreak mother suffered she took off our last name Frost as soon as she heard Sarah's story and started using her maiden last name...Muse. That was all in the span of a day. Now, what happened?"

"I um...I died."

"You truly...died?" She shouted in pure heartbroken shock. She knew he died, because of Sarah's words, and how her hands were starting to get frostbitten from many attempts to get Jack out of the water. However, hearing it from him was entirely different, and it was just further confirmation that he did indeed drown in his favorite pond.

"I rescued Sarah from falling in...I distracted her with fun...and when I got her away from the cracking ice...I took her place...and I fell in. You know I can't swim. You tried to teach me, but like you always said, I'm lousy at it...and I died from drowning and then..."

"Oh you have  _GOT_  to be  _KIDDING ME_! YOU'RE THE JACK FROST THAT MANNY TALKED TO!?"

"How do you know about that? Hey, why is your hair brunet with blue highlights at the end instead of the normal red head orange color it had, and why are your eyes purple instead of green? You know how much Father loved the fact that you got his hair and eyes."

"Manny changed them when he changed me, and hey...you're not one to talk. You and Sarah had the same eye and hair color...now you have hair as white as snow and ice blue eyes. As for you being...well, I should've known! I should've made the connection! It's the same name, but everyone said you died...and...you really did, so I couldn't even begin to fathom...I wanted to be happy for Jacus and Isabella on getting married...but their wedding was the day of your death, and they didn't realize it until after their vows...and I just couldn't...So I...You truly died!?"

"Yeah, I died and Manny brought me back to life saying my name was Jack Frost, but he didn't say anything else..." Jack stated as he glared at the moon.

"He didn't say anything because he couldn't. He talked to me and offered to make me a spirit, and considering how depressed I got at losing you, I took him up on that offer gladly. I didn't think to put two and two together...I am such an idiot!"

"Wait...so he wasn't ignoring me for three hundred years?" Jack questioned with guilt ridden eyes.

"No."

"Hold up!" Bunny shouted as a single tear fell down his fur. "Jack, when were ya gonna tell us, mate?"

"About?"

"You died!?" Bunny questioned loudly.

"Oh...well...I didn't know until I looked at my memories...just before going back to make Jamie believe...and..."

"That was seven years ago!"

"I just didn't want to talk about it. I found my reason, and my center..."

"You should've told us, Jack." Tooth crossed her arms and gave Jack a scolding look.

"I know, I'm sorry...next time I'll tell you if something like that comes up..."

"You mean like having not one, but two sisters?" Tooth questioned with a smirk and crossed arms.

"Yeah...something like that...Hey, guess what? I had a little sister that was eight years old when I died at the age of fourteen, and my older sister was twenty one."

"Next time, sweet tooth, please tell us."

"Sweet Tooth?" Aurora snorted out.

"Shut it..." Jack glared at her.

"Oh yeah...they are definitely related." North boomed out with laughter. "But...how is it you have not seen each other in three hundred and seven years?"

"I tried to go towards him...he had so many heart songs it was almost overwhelming and they had constantly changed, but I didn't know why. There was that, and I remembered that I had always considered him my spiritual birthday twin so...anyway, I couldn't actually go after him, because my work literally pulls me to those who need me. I didn't even know about the North Pole because of just how much my work pulls me...and we never really learned about Santa. We knew about the Tooth Fairy, Sandman, and the Easter Bunny...but our parents never really talked about Santa Clause. Sorry, North."

"Is no problem." He grinned at him and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "What we do face is something we never thought we might face, and to face it...we need your help apparently. However, we don't know that much about you, and although Jack could undoubtedly tell us many stories...we need to know you...the you from now."

"First, tell me what we're facing, and then I will tell you anything you wish to know. Even if you wanted me to leave, I wouldn't. I just found my precious little brother after three centuries."

"Right...Well..." North tried to start to explain but he was quickly interrupted by Jack.

"Families are fighting." Jack stated plainly.

"Yeah...families do that, Jack. I'm sure you would remember." She quipped, but she soon noticed the all too serious face that didn't belong on her brother's face, and she swallowed a lump in her throat. "It's not normal is it?"

"No, it's not. We can only affect children so much, but we don't know how to affect adults. While Bunny went to get you, Manny told us that you can affect all ages and that that was why we needed you." Tooth explained with a concerned expression.

"Okay...so what's wrong with the families exactly." She questioned with her own expression growing worried.

"It seems...it seems like they don't care how they hurt one another. They speak harsh words with no barriers and so do the kids. Not only that but the families are starting to commit horrible crimes without care, and they hut innocent people. We have to protect the children before..." Tooth trailed off but Aurora interrupted her anyway.

"This sounds familiar, doesn't it Jack." Aurora sent Jack a scolding look.

"What are you..." Jack's eyes widened and he face palmed himself. "I know what's wrong with the families..."

"Correction,  _we_  know what's wrong."

"What is wrong?"

"They don't fear consequences. They have no inhibition, because they don't fear what may happen if they commit or say such horrible things. They can think it all they like, but to act on it is another thing entirely. If a person can think it...know the consequences...but doesn't care...then they don't fear the consequences. I'm afraid that we may need to bring one more person on this mission."

"Ya can't be serious!" Bunny shouted. He looked over to North to see if he would say anything, but he just let out an understanding sigh. Tooth looked furious and reluctant but the look of understanding also crossed her features. Sandy seemed to understand and his face was pure fury. However, Jack's face was a mixture of understanding and for some reason relief. Bunny figured he would ask about that later, but for now, he just covered a paw to his face and groaned. "Fine...we'll go get Pitch out of his damn hole. However, before we do, we have to know everything ya can do."

"Well, firstly, I can hear and feel a person's heart song."

"What's a heart song?" Jack asked with fascination.

"Well, little brother, a heart song is just what it sounds like. It's a special song that resonates with that person the most. Even if they haven't heard it yet, once the song is written and played in public, it can appear on a person's heart. It's a song that describes the person it belongs to, or at the very least describes what they think of themselves in the world. It can make them laugh, cry, angry, scared, or even a mixture of everything, but it is their song. Now, of course, there are many people in the world who share that heart song, but that just means that those who they share it with can either be friends or something more if they wished."

"Have you heard heart songs in spirits before?"

"As matter of fact, I have been listening to some of the strangest music in this room. Now, I should say that those who keep to themselves can have more than one heart song...but at that point, they have a heart song for every specific person they have had an emotional impact with, and it always starts as acquaintances. I tend to find that spirits have more heart songs than even the most secluded of humans, but that's to be expected I suppose. However, those who have more than one heart song...they always have at least five songs."

"How many do I have?" North questioned curiously.

Aurora smiled, glad to find someone fascinated with her powers other than herself. "You have five heart songs, and despite what people may think...none of them have anything to do with Christmas."

"This is surprising." North beamed with wonder and nodded his head, seemingly pleased with the answer.

"What about me?" Tooth asked.

"You also have five." Aurora stated after trying to listen to all the songs at once that held such upbeat tunes.

 _'What about me?'_  Sandy questioned with a question mark and an arrow pointing at himself, hovering overhead.

Aurora smiled fondly at the small golden man, and chuckled lightly. "You have six heart songs, although, only one has to do with dreams and that's what is known as your true heart song. The one that comes from you only and is only for you." She was pleased to see the shocked and joyous expression on Sandy's face as he started jumping up and sticking his tongue out at the others who crossed their arms. She couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips. Once she calmed down she looked at the three of them and shook her head with a small smirk on her lips. "Remember, if you have five or more heart songs it means that your a pretty secluded person and keep to yourself. Everyone has their own heart song that represents them, the others are for those they know, whether it's in a friendly manner or not."

"Yes, but we know is because of jobs." North stated with a hummed laugh.

"Alright, my turn I suppose." Bunny stated as he rolled his eyes. "Let me guess, the minimum of five?"

"Actually no. You have at least six heart songs."

"Six!? How the hell do I have six? I go out and see the little tykes find the eggs."

"Yeah, but that's once a year, and then you seclude yourself, limiting yourself to only a select few."

"Well...my turn now." Jack said with a slight frown.

"Well, this should be easy. He's the most social spirit we've ever met." Bunny joked, but noticed that Aurora hadn't said anything yet. In fact, it seemed as if she was truly having to concentrate. "C'mon, he can't have that many heart..."

"Ten." Aurora stated with shock of her own. "At least...ten."

"How many of them are...how many of them are negative songs?"

"None of them, actually. Remember, it doesn't matter how many you have, it just means that even though you know at least nine people that had an emotional impact on you, you haven't opened up to them. The same could be said for the rest of you, so before you ask Jack twenty questions, you're all in the same boat, just with less songs, and no, it doesn't mean that you don't trust each other, it just means you keep to yourself so please...don't fight about this."

"Alright alright, we won't." Bunny stated as he held up his paws. "Was she always like this?" He asked Jack who only smiled brightly.

"Always. She made sure to cover everything before more questions or more fighting."

"That's right, Jack." She winked at him and chuckled lightly. "Now, there is also something that is separate from the heart songs, but it's similar."

"What is it?"

"I haven't come up with a name for it yet, but I'm thinking about calling it soul bond song. It's when two or more souls are connected strongly with each other, and for that, they have a song. It can be anything from two people or a group of people that will always be best friends to two people who share a romantic bond that they may or may not know about yet, or even two people who are like siblings but aren't related in the slightest. Cupid helped me find that one out. You, Easter Bunny..."

"Just Bunny."

"Fine. You, Bunny...share one such song with Jack and interestingly enough the two of you share the same heart song with each other. Both are different songs, and your soul music is of the brotherly variety."

"What's the song that we share as brothers? Erm...could you even show or play it for us?" Jack asked with curious eyes.

"Actually I can." She beamed at Jack. She walked over to Bunny and placed her left hand on his core where his lungs were and she pulled out a beautiful light that was a mixture of green and blue that swirled together. She walked over to Jack and did the same thing with her right hand on Jack. She pulled out that light, and gently clasped her hands together, intertwining her own fingers. She quickly pulled her hands apart and above them the green and blue light floated above them, but it was twice as big as the smalls ones from before. "Now, before I play it, keep in mind that I know the two of you don't smoke and Jack doesn't have tattoos..."

"So the lyrics aren't literal?" Jack asked.

"Most of the time they're not, but your...soul ball...will flare at the parts that are true during the song. I've done this for spirits before, when I sensed they needed to be reminded for how they felt for one another. The soul never lies. Jack, the blue color on the soul ball will flare when it's something your soul feels strongly about towards Bunny, and Bunny, yours is the green one and it will do the same on parts that you feel strongly towards Jack. However, the whole thing will flare if it's something you both feel strongly for." She flew up to the floating soul ball and tapped it gently and soon they began to hear a song begin to play.

_When we were young we were the ones_   
_The kings and queens oh yeah, we ruled the world_   
_We smoked cigarettes man no regrets_   
_Wish I could relive every single word_

_We've taken different paths_   
_And traveled different roads_   
_I know we'll always end up on the same one when we're old_   
_And when you're in the trenches_   
_And you're under fire I will cover you_

_If I was dying on my knees_   **(Green Flare)**  
_You would be the one to rescue me_  
_And if you were drowned at sea_ **(Blue Flare)**  
_I'd give you my lungs so you could breathe_

 _I've got you brother-er-er-er_   **(** **Both Flare)**  
_I've got you brother-er-er-er_  
_I've got you brother-er-er-er_  
_I've got you brother-er-er-er_

 _Oh brother, we'll go deeper than the ink_  
_Beneath the skin of our tattoos_  
_Though we don't share the same blood_   **(Both Flare)**  
_You're my brother and I love you that's the truth_

_We're living different lives_   
_Heaven only knows_   
_If we'll make it back With all our fingers and our toes_   
_5 years, 20 years, come back_ **(Both Flare)**  
_It will always be the same_

_If I was dying on my knees_ **(Green Flare)**  
_You would be the one to rescue me_   
_And if you were drowned at sea_ **(Blue Flare)**  
_I would give you my lungs so you could breathe_

_I've got you brother-er-er-er_ **(Both Flare)**  
_I've got you brother-er-er-er_

_And if we hit on troubled water_ **(Green Flare)**  
_I'll be the one to keep you warm and safe_   
_And we'll be carrying each other_ **(Both Flare)**  
_Until we say goodbye on our dying day_

_Because I've got you brother-er-er-er_ **(Both Flare)**  
_I've got you brother-er-er-er_   
_I've got you brother-er-er-er_   
_I've got you brother-er-er-er_

_If I was dying on my knees_ **(Green Flare)**  
_You would be the one to rescue me_   
_And if you were drowned at sea_ **(Blue Flare)**  
_I would give you my lungs so you could breathe_

_Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh_   
_Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh_   
_I've got you brother-er-er-er_ **(Both Flare)**  
_I've got you brother-er-er-er_

Once the song ended the giant soul ball descended back down in front of Aurora and she took it with both hands and slowly separated them into their smaller selves once more, and placed them back to their person. "So, what do ya think?" She asked once she back away from both of them.

Jack and Bunny looked at each other in complete awe and shock, and neither of them knew what to say, so North cleared his throat with a wide smile. "Is beautiful song for you two...especially considering events from seven years ago and recent revelation of Jack drowning."

"He's right. It fits the two of you really well." Tooth agreed.

"Of course it does, it's their soul bond song. Now...something I can also do...is if I feel a pull...like if someone is depressed, angry, confused, worried, or really any number of negative emotions, and I place a song in their mind and their heart, urging them to listen, sing, or dance to it, and their spirits lift. I also inspire those who don't feel negative emotions and I give them songs that fit their moods, or allow them to listen to their heart song, or the song they share with a friend or loved one. I connect people to music, basically. Now...the real question is...how could I help all of you...especially when Pitch needs to come back."

"Well, we're gonna have to figure that out, Aurora. If it makes you feel any better, I figured out my true purpose after seeing my memories which was close to the end of the fight against Pitch."

"Yeah, I heard you all talking about something about that...what do you mean by seeing your memories..."

"I had amnesia for three hundred years. I...didn't remember anything from being human."

"Wow...that's something...I'm sorry, Jack...I wish I had known..." The guilt on Aurora made Jack give her a soft smile.

"Don't worry about it. It doesn't matter anymore. Now...I think we should go and get the Boogeyman out of his hole."

"Right...his own heart song should be rather interesting..."


	3. Recruiting Pitch Black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just another reminder...I DO NOT OWN THE SONGS OR THE LYRICS! That is all...carry on!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just another reminder...I DO NOT OWN THE SONGS OR THE LYRICS! That is all...carry on!
> 
> Song: I'm Still Here  
> By: John Rzeznic
> 
> (That's what google says at least... -_-)

"Oh ho! I believe I've won, little brother!" Aurora shouted with victorious smile as she leaned up against a tree, and watched as Jack came right behind her. He rolled his eyes at her and tapped the ground beneath her, causing her to slip and fall on her butt. "Okay, now that's just childish." She laughed out as she got up and stepped to the side where there was a patch of green grass untouched by frost.

"Perhaps, but it was funny."

"Yeah, yeah...you're still a troublesome child." She smirked at him as she patted down her blue jeans that she wore, and she brushed off the dirt from her white T-shirt that had a music note on it.

Jack mocked a scoff and held a hand to his heart dramatically. "Me? Never!"

"Oh whatever!" She laughed out, and noticed that the others had arrived. "Are we ready?"

"As we'll ever be...this isn't going to be easy, and he may try and fight..."

"What if just me and Aurora go down there?"

"Why the hell would we do that, mate? You know she's supposed to be named a Guardian."

"Yeah, but she would be able to read Pitch as clearly as a book, and Pitch knows me...so..."

"He knows all of us." Bunny countered.

"Yeah, but he didn't try to recruit you to his side."

"Are you serious!? He did what?"

"It was after Easter." Jack said with a hint of bitterness, and Aurora knew better than to question that tone in her little brother. Besides, there was no need for questioning with his eyes looking the way they were. The other Guardians have hurt him...bad.

"Right..." Bunny's ears drooped behind his head.

"Don't worry, Bunny. I'm not mad anymore." Bunny lifted his eyes, and gave a wary smile as his ears slowly brought themselves back up. Jack gave him a nod and looked to his big sister. "Shall we go?"

"Sure but um...we're missing a hole..."

"We won't be for long." Jack said with a mischievous smirk. He walked over to the exact place the hole was at. He put down his staff and placed his palms against the ground, making an ice drill move it's way to through the ground. Once he was sure that the hole was completely open, he made the drill turn into snow, and he stood up with his own triumphant smirk. "I had made a frost bunny jump around a boy named Jamie to get him to believe in Bunny, and it resulted in him believing in me too...but the point is...if I can imagine it...I can create it. I'm getting better at it though.

"Impressive, now...let's go meet Pitch Black in his domain." Jack nodded and dove down, hearing Aurora following close behind him.

Once they landed they both immediately noticed the nightmare horses that glared at them with such hostility. They were whinnying and huffing, and Aurora noticed that Jack was ready to attack, but she gently placed a hand on Jack's staff stopping him in his tracks. Just like with people, she could hear the heart songs of animals, and even though these weren't real, there was a twisted tune of defensiveness that made her grin. "Don't worry, Jack. They're just being defensive for their creator." She walked closer to one of the horses and started petting its nose. Surprisingly enough, it closed it's eyes, and leaned into her touch. "There now...you're not so bad are you?" The horse gave a soft huff of air as it nudged against her once more. "Good girl, now...we need to find Pitch. We actually need to speak with him." The horse then stepped back with a furious look as it seemed to wait patiently for an explanation. "There are families out there hurting one another and doing horrible things...because they do not fear consequences. The world needs fear. It needs balance. It needs Pitch Black. We will not harm him, you have my word, but we do need to speak with him. Can you show us where he is?"

The horse nodded its head, and the other horses ran away. The only one remaining was the biggest of the group which happened to be the one that Aurora was talking to, and Jack's jaw dropped. "I can't believe that worked."

"You make it sound like a trick. I genuinely meant all of that. Now come on, let's follow Onyx."

"Onyx?"

"Her name. I heard it in her heart song. Her name is Onyx." Jack didn't say anything, and for that Aurora was grateful as they followed the horse all the way to a door as black as ebony, and had a golden door knob. "Thank you Onyx, you can stay nearby if you want. I know you're still iffy about us." The horse gently nudged the side of her face, and she knew that Jack found this all strange, and to be honest...so did she. She knew these were what were called nightmares, and she had know idea why they were being kind to her, but she wasn't about to take it for granted for what they were here to do. She patted Onyx on the nose and then she opened the door. "Pitch Black?" She called out, and was surprised when she walked through the door to see candles were lit, there was a beautiful circular red reg resting underneath a large black and red chair in front of a lit fire place. She knew Jack was still following her as well as the horse as she walked the rest of the way in, and she noticed that there was even a kitchen, and another door. "Is that his room?" The horse gave a heavy nod. "Alright...here goes nothing." She walked towards the room, but was immediately stopped as a shadow came from underneath it, and out from the shadow rose Pitch Black himself with a furious and confused expression.

"Who the hell are you, and how did you get in here!?" His gaze shifted to Jack who was clutching tightly to his staff, but not in fear. It was clutching in protectiveness. "YOU! What are YOU doing here!? Come to gloat or something? You already refused to join me, what could you want here...and who..." Pitch's fury died out as he saw his new guest standing just a little bit in front of Jack. "...Who are you?" He asked as he narrowed his eyes at her.

As he spoke Aurora heard the beginning lyrics of his heart song and she found herself smiling in sympathy. "My name is Aurora Muse. In my human life, I was Jack Frost's older sister."

"You were...what?" Pitch's eyes went wide as he looked back and forth at the woman in front of him who was a little taller than Jack, and he quickly shook off the shocked look on his face, and placed the fury back on like a mask. "Whatever, I got the who! Now how about the what!? Make it quick woman before I set my nightmares on you! What are you here for!?" Before she could answer, Onyx stepped once in front of her and nudged her once more, causing a slight giggle to escape her lips as it tickled her neck some. Pitch's eyes went wide once more and all fury was gone from him once again, and it was replaced by pure curiosity and a dumbfounded expression.

Aurora smiled as she petted Onyx's nose once more. "Thank you, girl, but that won't be necessary. Besides, he's your creator, not me. Go stand by his side." Onyx did as she was told and stood by Pitch's side. Aurora could see the speechlessness on him, so she decided to explain into full detail why they were there and what she can do.

Once she was finished, she didn't know when it happened but Pitch, still in his dumbfounded state, had sat in his chair and she finished her tale as she leaned against the left side of the fire place. "That's...quite the story if I've ever heard one. So...I'm needed then?" Aurora nodded. "...by humans?" Another nod. "...and the Guardians want me to help them...bring fear back?" She gave another nod, knowing exactly what was going to come next. Pitch started chuckling darkly, and then exploded into a full laughing fit. "Oh, this is too good! Manny's got quite the sense of humor."

"Do you not believe me?" She questioned calmly

"I do believe you. How could I not when apparently my Nightmare horse trusts you, and you even know her name...I believe you. The one I can't believe is Manny at the moment. Irony is delicious. Say...before I give you my answer, you said that everyone has a heart song...so tell me...do I have one even though I don't have a heart." Aurora smiled at him, and he found himself becoming still for some reason and the amusement dropped from his face. It was such a gentle smile that was faced towards him, and he didn't know what to do or why he had suddenly gotten still from it.

"Of course you have a heart, Pitch. It's just laid dormant for a very...very long time, and yes...you do have a heart song. I believe it fits you perfectly considering the circumstances as of late. Would you like to listen?"

Pitch's curiosity got the better of him as he shrugged his shoulders at her question. "Sure, why not. I'm sure it's going to be a pretty dark song about horrendous things so why not."

"You will be very surprised." She sighed out as she carefully placed her right palm flat on the middle of his chest. She pulled out the beautiful song, and even though most of the heart song was shrouded in a black glow, the furthest reaches of it shined a bright gold. She tossed it into the air and a song was suddenly heard throughout the entire room, and the black glow started growing gracefully intricate swirls indicating to Aurora that this was what his heart felt more than anything, which also told her that most if not all of the lyrics would be true to him.

_I am a question to the world_   
_not and answer to be Heard_   
_or a moment that's held in your arms_   
_and what do you think you'd ever say_   
_I won't listen anyway_   
_you don't know me_   
_and I'll never be what you want me to be_

_and what do you think you'd understand_   
_I'm a boy no, I'm a man_   
_You can't take me and throw me away_   
_And how can you learn what's never shown_   
_Yeah you stand here on your own_   
_They don't know me_   
_Cause I'm not here_

_And I want a moment to be real_   
_Wanna touch things I don't feel_   
_want to hold on and feel I belong_   
_And how can the world want me to change_   
_They're the ones that stay the same_   
_They don't know me_   
_Cause I'm not here_

_And you see the things they never see_   
_All you wanted I could be_   
_Now you know me and I'm not afraid_   
_And I wanna tell you who I am_   
_Can you help me be a man_   
_They can't break me_   
_As long as I know who I am_

_And I want a moment to be real_   
_Wanna touch things I don't feel_   
_want to hold on and feel I belong_   
_And how can the world want me to change_   
_They're the ones that stay the same_   
_ They can't see me, but I'm still here _

_They can't tell me who to be_   
_Cause I'm not what they see_   
_Yeah, the world is still sleeping_   
_While I keep on dreaming for me_   
_And their words are just whispers and lies_   
_That I'll never believe_

_And I want a moment to be real_   
_Wanna touch things I don't feel_   
_want to hold on and feel I belong_   
_And how can they say I'll never change_   
_They're the ones that stay the same_   
_I'm the one now_   
_Cause I'm still here_

_I'm the one_   
_Cause I'm still here_   
_I'm still here_   
_I'm still here_

_I'm still here_

"A song that fits you indeed." Aurora hummed, and watched as the black glow started to drift back into her hands. She took it, and pushed it back into Pitch's chest, who was still too stunned by the lyrics alone to even move. "Except, you do believe my words, so there's that. Now, the only question remains...will you join us?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Absolutely. If you don't join us then that just makes our job a little more difficult and we'll have to put fear into people's hearts rather than you, but I thought that perhaps you really and truly would like to go...ya know...considering that there would be a possibility of you being believed in again, but if you don't want that we can just..."

Aurora feigned walking away, but smirked when she heard a low, "Wait..."

"Yes?"

"There's no guarantee that I'll be believed in again is there."

"I'm afraid not, but there's always the possibility. It is  _you_  the world needs right now, so quite frankly, I believe the possibility to be high in my opinion."

"This is completely...it's ridiculous, it's mad, it's unusual, it's different..."

Jack and Aurora looked at each other with knowing looks, having heard similar words from their own mouths to their mother who suggested that they try and play hide and seek or tag blind folded, and the one time that she suggested that they try ice skating barefoot...All fond memories of their mother's ridiculous and fun ideas, and they look back at Pitch before he could continue and at the same time they said the same words their mother told them. "Doesn't that make for the best adventure though?"

The amusement on Pitch's face was visible as was the appreciation for their words. "Very true." He admitted. "Well, as much as I despise the Guardians...Onyx seems quite fond of you, and I would hate for her to lose a new friend. Besides...if I get believers out of this mess, than I guess I can suffer being around them."

Jack and Aurora rolled their eyes in exasperation, yet held small smirks on their faces. They both couldn't believe how easy it was to convince him, but neither were going to question or complain. "I guess we should be going then." Aurora said as she started for the door, but was suddenly nudged hard on her back by Onyx. "Onyx?"

Pitch could be heard chuckling as he met them at the door. "She wants you to get on her back and ride her out of here."

"Does she now?" Aurora smirked as she turned around to pet Onyx's nose.

"It would be quite the spectacle." Pitch stated with a slight yet honest laugh. "Someone riding her who isn't me. The look on the Guardians' faces."

Jack beamed brightly, and his expression alone was enough to let Pitch let out another chuckle. Jack started jumping up and down. "Oh you have to! I want to see what happens! Wait...should she go first or..."

"How about you go first Jack and play a prank on them." Aurora suggested, and Pitch's own mischievous smirk appeared on his face.

 _'This woman is quite different.'_  He thought to himself. "What would his prank be?" He asked her.

"Well, he could leave the cavern and tell them that a Nightmare got me, and that he barely made it out...and then I come flying out on Onyx with you behind me."

"My my...Jack, your sister is quite the trickster." Pitch said with an amused smile and a risen brow.

"Oh, believe me, I know. Everyone thought I was a big time trickster...Nope! I can't hold a candle to her." Jack laughed out, and Aurora gave a dramatic bow.

"Why thank you, dear brother. So...is that the plan?" She asked as she looked at Pitch, who started to chuckle darkly.

"Why not?" He asked with a shrug of his shoulders.

Aurora got on Onyx and rode her to where the opening was. They stood there and waited for Jack to say that he barely made it out. Once he said it, she kicked back on Onyx and flew out of the hole on her back with Pitch laughing maniacally as he followed her out.

Once they were out, the Guardians first gave the three of them shocked looks which quickly turned into frustrated exasperation. "You prank us?" North asked with a slight bit of anger lacing his tone.

"Hey, don't look at me. It was Aurora's idea. Anyway, Pitch has agreed to help us." Jack told them and the shocked faces returned.

"Truly?" North questioned with a risen brow as he watched Aurora get down from Onyx. His eyes widened even further when the Nightmare gently nudged her hand, asking to be petted, and Aurora did just that with a carefree smile.

"If fear is needed, you came to the right person. Besides...there's a chance I may be believed in again. I'm always up for that chance."

"Alright then...we discuss further at the North Pole then..." North couldn't help but be shocked and in slight awe of it all. It was almost too easy, and he has a big feeling in his belly that it has a lot to do with the fact that Aurora and the Nightmare horse can get along. There was also a similar, yet smaller feeling in his belly that a lot of it just had to do with Aurora in general, and he just knew that this was going to be an interesting adventure for everyone involved.


	4. Dance Like No One's Watching...even if...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DO NOT OWN THE SONGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Song: Do You Believe in Magic  
> By: The Lovin' Spoonful

Once they all made it back to the North Pole, North began to explain to Pitch in full detail of what was happening and what Manny has said. He told him everything that led up to Aurora and Jack going down to retrieve him. After he was finished explaining he crossed his arms and let out a heavy sigh. "So...you will help us?"

Pitch blinked a few times, somewhat speechless, which made him feel uncomfortable considering he was able to spit out insults and rage at them seven years ago, but what Aurora told him and what North had just told him, they weren't different, but there were some holes in Aurora's story. Either way, he felt uneasy about even considering to help the very people that he sought to destroy, not just seven years ago, but even further back in time. He could feel the glares coming from the Pooka, and he knew it was justified, but at the moment he could care less. The Guardians and Manny himself just asked for his help in reuniting families. "You gonna give an answer?" Bunny snapped.

"I...what's in it for me?"

"Well, I already told you that." Aurora said as she stepped a bit closer to Pitch. "You could have the possibility of being believed in. Not only that, but you will gain your rightful place in the balance of everything. In doing so...you'll be seen. No one can tell you who to be, and you won't have to change. All you would have to do is what comes naturally to you."

"Oh, and what would you know about what comes naturally to me?" Pitch questioned with a risen brow of curiosity and a small smirk.

"I can  _read_  heart songs...remember? They tell me more than just what the person is like or how they feel. It tells me what they have the capability of doing. Yours tells me that you can obviously do this, but I'm sure everyone in here can testify to that. However, what it also shows me is that you were once a good person. I don't know who you were, but it was there. Do you remember that small golden light you saw in the glowing ball?" She gave him a questioning look, and received an intrigued nod from Pitch, asking her to continue, so she did. "That was the goodness in your heart before you were the Boogeyman."

"Pitch? Good? Sheila, I think..."

"I told you, cottontail, my name isn't Sheila, it's Aurora." She growled out with pure irritation in her eyes.

"Right...but...hey! Did Jack tell ya to call me that?"

Her eyes went wide with amusement, and so did Jack's. "Nope, sorry Peter Cottontail. I told her nothing. We are siblings after all, so perhaps she knew exactly what to call you."

She chuckled low in amusement as Bunny's fur fluffed in agitation. "Either way, yes...just like the soul, the heart doesn't lie, and I know what I saw." She told Bunny, then she turned back to Pitch who is wearing the shocked expression of someone who was just slapped. "You have the capability, it just may be more difficult for you than others. So, will you help us?"

"Um..." Pitch berated himself inside his mind as he quickly became speechless to the woman in front of him once again.  _'What is this woman? How can she make me speechless!? I'm the Nightmare King for crying out loud!'_  He briefly looked up to the moon that was just above the roof of the palace.  _'If this is some kind of joke that you're lining up, Manny...I have to say...the punch line must be deadly hilarious.'_

"Well?" She questioned with a patient expression. "You can't say that this doesn't intrigue you a little. You could be believed in...and not  _hated_ , but  _needed._ "

Pitch looked at her with wide eyes, and he felt something in his heart that he hadn't known for a long time, but as quickly as it came it left, and it didn't stay long enough for him to name it the feeling, so he cleared his throat. "That would be something. Fine, I'll go along with this small adventure of yours for now. However, I have one request."

"What would that be?" Aurora asked.

"That you're there the whole time. I don't know what it is...but something about you is...well, if I'm to be honest...you're intriguing. Onyx seems to like you, and well...since I became the Nightmare King she has only ever like me, and she attacks everyone else. So, I'm interested to see who exactly you are, and why you can get that kind of reaction from one of my creatures, because not even Manny himself has the power to allow someone to do that."

"R-Right..." Aurora stuttered out with shocked eyes. "Alright, I'll be there the whole time, or at the very least try."

"See that you do, and try your best to resist the urge to go to someone who needs a song, because right now, the Guardians need you." Pitch smirked, but then he noticed the dropped jaws from said Guardians. "What?" He snapped.

"Nothing!" Jack said immediately. "It's just..."

"You seem..." Tooth tried to explain but she couldn't find the words.

"You seem down right endearin' at the moment. Didn't know you had it in you."

"I can choose to show emotion, Rabbit, unlike you. You're ears give everything away." Pitch quipped with a small evil smirk.

Aster's nose and right ear twitched in agitation at his words, but he tried to shrug it off anyway. "Whatever, just make sure you don't get out of line, otherwise we'll put ya back in your hole where I honestly think you belong."

"As long as the possibility for me getting believers remains, I will be on what you Guardians consider acceptable behavior."

"I'm sure you will, Pitch." Aurora said with a small smile. "Besides, if we don't give you a chance, then we're just back at square one with you aren't we?" She questioned to Pitch while she sent a small glare to Bunny.

Bunny's fur fluffed in irritation as he rolled his eyes. "Whatever...look, all I know is that we all need some shut eye before we go...give fear to families."

"Bunny is right. Jack, Aurora can have room next to yours, and Pitch, you can have room next to mine. I want to keep eye on you. You understand, yes?"

Pitch sighed in irritation. "Unfortunately, yes I do know. However, that does not mean you get to come into my room at any time you please. It will make me question the decision to join on this crusade."

"Ah, so you  _will_  be joining us!" North boomed out. "This is good...but will still keep eye on you."

"Just keep what I said in mind, North, and we'll be fine...for now."

"Yes, I agree to your terms. Now, everyone to their rooms. It is indeed time for rest. We will have full days ahead, and little time to rest."

_**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo** _

Once they were all in their own rooms, and Pitch knew everyone to be asleep, he found himself sitting on the all too soft mattress, and he couldn't quite understand why that woman would treat him with so much kindness or why Onyx has taken such a shine to her, but he was determined to get answers. However, how to get them was the major problem he faced. Being drawn from his thoughts, he felt Onyx come out from the shadows to nudge the side of his head. He chuckled fondly at her antics, and began to absently pet the side of her neck, but she slipped from his fingers and began walking lazily to the door. Once he heard her stop, he looked up and saw her wave her head at the door. "You can't...you can't be serious." Pitch stared at Onyx with questioning look in his eyes as he could clearly tell what the horse was trying to ask him to do. "I cannot go see her. She is asleep." The horse whinnies silently as she shakes her head. "What do you mean she isn't asleep!? It's two in the morning, and I know for a fact that..." He trailed off as his shadows spoke to him saying who all was asleep and who wasn't, in order to confirm Onyx's story. "She...she's awake?" He asked with almost a look of surprise, but it quickly turned into confusion. "Well...why isn't she asleep?" He asks himself, but receives a huff of air from his black steed, and for some reason he feels as if there's an eye roll despite it not having irises or pupils. The Nightmare horse waves her head to the door once more, causing Pitch's own eyes to roll. "If I go and speak with her, will you leave me be?" The horse victoriously nodded her head and retreated back into the shadows. "Very well..." Pitch said as he slapped the palms of his hands on his knees, and he got up and walked out the door. He reached out with a thin strand of shadows for those in North's palace, and he realized he couldn't feel her fear. "That's...rather odd..." He whispered to himself, and tried for Jack's fear instead, which had grown from never being seen and failing the guardians to losing his friends.

Once he found it, he kept in mind that Aurora's room was right next to his, and walked quietly along the vast halls until he came to two separate doors. He found out which one was hers, because it had her name on it, which he was thankful for, but now more than ever, he hated the fact that North had always kept the rooms soundproof. He tried to silently turn the knob, but it was locked. "Through the shadows it is." He sighed in irritation as he sunk into the floor, becoming a pale shadow. He went underneath the door and remained a shadow as he lined himself up with the dressers tall shadow on the wall, and just when he was about to leave his hiding place he heard something that made him stop immediately and he felt a strange sort of pang in his chest. He heard humming, and it seemed to be an instrumental portion of a song.  _'Who is that? Is she playing something on some kind of audio device?'_  He thought to himself, but his questioning thoughts were quickly shut out as he watched Aurora come out of the bathroom that was connected to her room. She was dressed in a lovely purple night dress that had small shining black specs. She also wore black leggings underneath it, and for a moment he thought perhaps she was going to go to bed, but no. She places a hand to her own heart and pulls out a beautiful glowing sphere with a mixture of purple and green light and it began to grow larger as it started to play the rest of the song she was humming seconds ago. Then, he feels something sharp in the middle of his chest, a warmth in his cheeks, and he feels his breath leave him as she begins to dance to the song that is playing above her head, and he quickly notices that she is dancing in her own unique way with twirls here and jumps there. A shake of her shoulders this way, a shake of her hips that way as she swayed to the beat and the smile on her face as she danced had him in stunned awe. He felt the feeling in his chest only grow as he found himself smiling with her from the shadows. Not wanting to interrupt what was happening, he decided to stay in the shadows to observe her unique style of dancing, and he was pleased to see that it was going to happen again as she flicked her wrist and the song replayed.

_Do you believe in magic in a young girl's heart_   
_How the music can free her, whenever it starts_   
_And it's magic, if the music is groovy_   
_It makes you feel happy like an old-time movie_   
_I'll tell you about the magic, and it'll free your soul_   
_But it's like trying to tell a stranger 'bout rock and roll_

_If you believe in magic don't bother to choose_   
_If it's jug band music or rhythm and blues_   
_Just go and listen it'll start with a smile_   
_It won't wipe off your face no matter how hard you try_   
_Your feet start tapping and you can't seem to find_   
_How you got there, so just blow your mind_

_If you believe in magic, come along with me_   
_We'll dance until morning 'til there's just you and me_   
_And maybe, if the music is right_   
_I'll meet you tomorrow, sort of late at night_   
_And we'll go dancing, baby, then you'll see_   
_How the magic's in the music and the music's in me_

_Yeah, do you believe in magic_   
_Yeah, believe in the magic of a young girl's soul_   
_Believe in the magic of rock and roll_   
_Believe in the magic that can set you free_   
_Ohh, talking 'bout magic_

_Do you believe like I believe (Do you believe in magic)_   
_Do you believe like I believe (Do you believe, believer)_   
_Do you believe like I believe (Do you believe in magic)_

Once the song ended once more she had accidentally knocked something off of the bed after placing the glowing sphere back in her chest, and she jumped in surprise as she frantically looked around. Once she found out it was only the item that was on the bed, she visibly relaxed and chuckled at her own clumsiness as she picked the item up and placed it back on the bed. It was at that moment when he felt it, and his heart ached as he quickly retreated back to his own room through the shadows without saying a word until he was back on the bed.

Once there, he held a hand to his chest, and found himself completely breathless and desperate for air. Normally any kind of fear was enough to give him even the tiniest of thrills, but never in his life had he felt something so heart wrenching and wrong. He couldn't fathom it. Before he could say anything to himself, Onyx rose from the shadows with a tilt of her head as if to ask what had happened, and he quickly shook his head and placed it in his own hands. "She's afraid...she's afraid of being seen. She's afraid someone will see her dance...that someone will see her be free in her movement and sing to her hearts content and...that people will judge her for it. The worst thing is...she's afraid to be herself." Pitch looked up at Onyx who had taken it upon herself to come out of the shadows and shrink just enough to where she was the size of a large lap dog, and she laid down in front of Pitch's feet. "...but what I saw..." He felt the hurt in his own heart, and he couldn't fathom why that kind of pain would be there, or why all of a sudden he had a heart beat at all after so many centuries, and it was pounding. He looked back at how it felt when he was watching her dance, and the feelings he was feeling then...feelings that have been long forgotten...and they had honestly started to frighten him a bit, because it only further added to the mystery that was Aurora.

As he pushed away the feeling that came with watching her be so free, he focused on the fear she felt and he tried to understand it, to decipher it, but he couldn't. "I...don't understand it..." He told Onyx with a quizzical expression. "She was so happy. I could sense it all so purely...her joy, wonder, hope, dreams, and even a slight bit of her memories as a human when she would dance to her own tune...I could feel it all...I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to be able to, yet I did, and she was so free and happy and graceful...how could all of that disappear and...and be ripped away in an instant? How can she be so  _terrified_  to be free!?" He placed his head back in his hands, and still couldn't fathom it. "She was  _so_  free." He whispered to himself, before laying on the bed, wondering if he would perhaps have his answers tomorrow, because that was the only reason he was going to sleep. To bring the dawn closer.


	5. Defending Pitch's Story

Dawn crept into Pitch's room, and he groaned at the rude atrocity peering through the window. He immersed himself into the darkness of which he was comfortable with, and made his way to the globe where they had all met up yesterday, and to his surprise, the only one there was the subject of his thoughts last night. He stepped out of the shadows and began walking towards her in a solid form. He noticed she was wearing a short light blue dress with black leggings, and black shoes. He also noticed that unlike the last few times he saw her, her hair was up in a pony tail this time. He walked a bit closer and saw that she was reading something while sitting next to the large window. "Aurora?" He asked in a gentle tone that surprised himself.

"Oh..." She looked up from her book, and saw Pitch was standing in front of her. "...hello Pitch, I was just reading."

"Well, I could see that." He chuckled out. "Mind telling me what you were reading?"

"Uh...it was...well...I saw all the books and I...I got curious if there were any about the Guardians, and there was, but I also found..." She handed him the book, and he took it cautiously but without hesitation.

"I see...you've found a book about me." He held the book in his hand and gave it a judging look before turning to the beginning. "I have no idea what a book about me would be doing here."

"Well, I'm glad it was. It was actually pretty interesting."

"Was? You've read it all the way through already?" His eyes widened as he gave her a skeptically raised brow.

"Yes, I read rather fast, and I've been up since five this morning. I don't sleep much, so it wasn't all that bad. I have to ask though..." She trailed off as she started lightly swinging her legs back in forth beneath her. "...Is that your real name?"

He looked to where her finger was pointing, and couldn't help the bitter smile that appeared on his face. "Yes, it is. My father gave me that name. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I think it's unique and was wondering why you didn't still use it." She stated with a slight shrug.

"You read the whole book, yes?" He said as he started closing the book once more.

"Yeah, that's what I said..." She gave him a curious look as she crossed her legs on the bench she was sitting on.

"Well, did the book mention anything about me having a family?" His eyes went wide for a fraction of a second as he realized what he was saying and about to say.  _'How does this impossible woman get me to say and do things I wouldn't normally do!? What is she? And why is it that her fear is what it is...and why does it hurt me so much!? How is she doing this to me...WHAT is she doing to me!?'_

"Yeah, it said you had a wife and a daughter. It also mentioned that your daughter grew up to be Mother Nature..."

"Yes, she did." Pitch smiled fondly as he briefly remembered the small bit of pride he felt the day he found out who his daughter had become to the people of Earth. However, he also remembered that he has no right to remember anything about her so fondly, so he cleared his throat. "Well...did it also happen to mention the black gate, me guarding it, and..."

"Yes, but see...that's why I was reading it again."

"Oh? Why would that interest you enough to read it again?" Pitch asked as he set the book down to his side.

"Well...in the book it says that you knew how dangerous the fearlings and Nightmares were...and you even helped to drive them back..."

"This is true..." He stated with half smirk and furrowed brows.

"Okay...but in the book...it says after the battle, after you helped defeat them...you chose to release them and you chose to take them all in. In later chapters it states how the Guardians defeated you...but..."

"So, what's the part that's not making sense to you?"

"That you knew what the threat was, fought it diligently and heroically, but that you would choose to waste all of that effort by volunteering to guard the black gate...only just to open it. I don't believe that's what happened at all."

Pitch for some reason felt his breath catch and that annoying beating in his chest that he hadn't felt since he was human. "What do you think happened? Mind you, this was written by the Guardians."

"Yes, but who are always the ones that get to tell how the events went in battle?" She looked at Pitch who gave her a questioning tilt of the head, and she sighed. "The victors. Those who win the battle get to tell the tale, and some even get to name the battle...it was a battle the Guardians won..."

"My my..." Pitch whispered out breathlessly. "...you have quite the opinion."

"It's a fact. You were a general, I'm sure you know this." She gave him a mischievous yet knowing smirk, and it caused Pitch to chuckle as he looked down at his clasped hands.

"You're right. However, you have failed to mention what you think really happened." He looked up at her with a patient and expectant expression. "So, what do you think really happened at the black gate?"

"I..." She started and even though Pitch was quite eager to hear what she honestly thinks happened at the black gate, he couldn't help but think to himself.  _'She is never going to get anywhere close to the truth.'_  Drawn out of his thoughts he heard her clear her throat, grabbing his attention once more. "...I think you were tricked."

"Y-You w-what!?" He breathed out in disbelief.  _'How...How could she possibly...WHAT IS THIS WOMAN!?'_

"I think you were tricked. I think that maybe the fearlings said or did something that caused you to throw open the gate that you had actually been guarding for quite some time if the timeline in the book is any indication. So...am I right?"

"I..."

"Pitch?"

"Y-Yes...I was...I..." He tried to compose himself but failed, so he just settled for clearing his throat. "They...mimicked my daughter's voice...they made it sound like she was trapped in there with them...I was desperate to...I didn't know they would...but I have them under control." Once he finished speaking he noticed a victorious smile cross her features. "And just what are you smiling about? Are you happy for exposing a weakness I had? I don't even know why I'm telling you this!"

"I'm not happy about exposing anyone's weakness." She quietly growled out, but quickly gathered herself together as she took the book in hand again, and continued to look at it. "However, I am happy. It only further proves what I said before."

"Oh, and what did you say before?"

"That you have the capability of being good. You knew what the risk would've been from opening the door didn't you? You knew it well, I suspect. However, you didn't care as long as you could get your daughter out of there and to safety. I also suspect...that for a very long time...at the very least until after the first battle...you were not in your right mind, and probably inwardly tried desperately to be sane and in your right mind."

Pitch felt as if he couldn't breathe anymore even if he wanted to. "How could you know all that?"

"So I'm right?" She asked him with shock of her own showing on her face. When she received a slow nod, her eyes widened. "How much am I right about?"

"A-All of it...how would you know...how do you know all of that?"

"I...it was just a feeling I had after seeing the color of your heart song..."

"The color of my heart song? Do you mean that glowing ball of light?"

"Yes, you see...souls can shift colors constantly depending on what their feeling and who their speaking to, but a heart never changes color. I can...this is going to sound ridiculous..."

"Not as ridiculous as you knowing things you shouldn't."

"Right..." She laughed out nervously. "Well...I can feel the colors of a heart song."

"You're right...that does sound a bit ridiculous, but if it's part of your powers, then it can't be that bad. So...what did you feel from my heart song?"

"Well...aside from the song itself...from the black glow I felt feelings like hurt, betrayed, heartbroken, rage, remorse, and fear...but not like the fear you inflict...it was your own fear. Then, from the golden light...I felt comfort, trust, love, kindness, patience, and bravery. You must understand...you are not one or the other color at any given moment in time...you are these in a constant. You may just feel more strongly for the others...but these are who you are, and that's why it confused me so much knowing what I knew...after reading what I read."

At that point, not only could Pitch not breathe, but he couldn't speak, and he felt the pounding in his chest race faster if possible while his eyes widened a great deal.  _'This woman...'_  He began thinking to himself.  _'...she's like a blinding light, shining in the darkest of caves revealing hidden areas of the cave that had never known light before...and I'm the damn cave! Why does she have this affect on me!?'_

It took about five minutes for Pitch to compose himself, and he was grateful that Aurora didn't ask if he was okay, because in all honesty he wasn't. A small bit of his world that only he knew about...it had been completely and utterly flipped upside down. Just as he was about to say something, he heard footsteps and noticed North standing there with a frustrated expression and crossed arms. "I said I keep eye on you Pitch. What are you doing alone with new Guardian?"

"From what I understand, I'm not a Guardian until I take the oath...and we were actually having a decent conversation. I found a book about Pitch as well." She stated gleefully, even if the first sentence had a hint of spite to it.

"Ah, and are you pleased at what you read?" North questioned with a hint of pride in his eyes.

"No...not really, to be honest. A lot of things didn't make sense to me, but Pitch explained, and I have a better understanding now."

"What? How do things not make sense?"

At this point, Pitch felt so small and once again speechless as he watched Aurora who was about 5'7, stand up to face North who stood at about 7'1. "Can you tell me something?"

"Sure...?"

"Were any of you at the black gate?"

"Well, no...none of us were...we were honestly too scared to go. Pitch volunteered so we let him, and told him to be careful but instead he..."

"Okay..." She interrupted. "So, none of you were there at the black gate?"

"No, we weren't. It was just Pitch."

"Then how can you put it in a book...saying that he  _chose_  to become Pitch Black if none of you were there to  _witness_  the events that led up to that? He was your  _friend_ , your  _comrade_ , and he didn't want the rest of you to get hurt...So, let me ask you...doesn't it seem a little strange to you that someone who fought diligently and bravely against the fearlings and the Nightmares would just throw all that effort away? He was a general, and he could've become their king anyway, but he didn't. Instead, he fought along side you as you all tried to protect everything dear to all of you. One final question, and I actually want an answer, because if there's one thing I hate more than anything in this world is when someone is hurting in an unjustified manner. After all that, and not being there to witness what truly happened at the black gate...why would you say that something happened if you weren't there to see it happen?"

North staggered back slightly as if a great realization had pushed against his entire being, and Pitch honestly hoped it did. He remembered when they were all friends, and he had only recently gained complete control of his own mind and memories. Recently being...seven years ago after he was dragged down into his hole. "I...we all just assumed..."

"Why would you assume?" She questioned with a gentler voice, almost as if she was talking to a child, and she continued to shock Pitch to no end.

"He left the black gate and...he came after us...after innocent families and children."

"Okay, that tells me that he had become evil, but that doesn't tell me he had chosen to do so. Why would a man that loved his wife and daughter so much choose the very creatures that attacked others without care and that he helped put away?"

A look of shocked realization crossed North's features. "You...how you know this?"

"I can read his heart, I could feel the colors in his heart song when I played it...and there's just no way that with what I read and felt...well, there's no way he would choose to become Pitch Black. He probably flaunted it like he chose it and that he reveled in it, but tell me...what happens when someone turns into a fearling?" She challenged him with a gentle voice.

"They...they take over the body and voice..."

"But?" She challenged patiently.

"But not...not the mind. Which means...Pitch was trapped inside own mind and body."

"That's right...now I know I don't have any right to say these things and if I'm gonna be honest...I'm surprised I was able to talk to you in such a way...and you don't deserve it, but no one asked Pitch what happened, and don't worry, I know full well that no one asked because they couldn't ask and it would've done them no good, but at least he would've been asked. However, I can tell that he's in his right mind now. So, here's your chance." Aurora moved back to her seat and she sat patiently waiting for either North or Pitch to say something.

"Pitch...are you truly in right mind?" North questioned with a skeptical brow, but there was also a slight flicker of hope in his eyes.

"Yes...and I have been since I was dragged down the hole, but also just a little before that. It happened right when Jamie ran through me and it was almost as if I woke up after eons, but all the while knowing what I had done and...I was afraid. It took me a while to get control over the Nightmares again, but yes...I've been in my right mind for a while." Pitch stated as he began to wring his hands together in a nervous manner. "Just...let me ask something. Why does it matter what I say now?"

"Because, if we had been wrong this whole time...we all owe you an apology. I don't know what Bunny might think, but if we were wrong about you choosing this...we all owe you apology. What happened?"

As much as he didn't want to, he figured if he was given this chance to tell them, he should take it. "The fearlings and Nightmares tricked me with the voice of my daughter. I rushed in to try and save her but...they rushed at me and I didn't have a chance. I woke up to the sound of screaming and when I had...in my mind...opened my eyes...I was watching my own hand destroy the Pookas. It was...horrible doesn't even begin to describe the feeling. I tried to stop. Moon knows I tried to stop but...I couldn't. Now, I will say that I was somewhat in my right mind when I went after you and the children seven years ago. I was about seventy five percent in my right mind, and I was angry, and the fearlings kept whispering...it's a bit hard to explain..."

"You..." Bunny stepped out from behind a bookshelf next to North. He was then followed by Sandy, Tooth, and Jack who all shared looks of shock. "...didn't actually have any control when you destroyed my people?"

"No...I wasn't." Pitch lowered his head and visibly shivered at the mere memory. "I can still remember their screams. The kits that my daughter used to play with...and your family...and everyone else. I watched my own hand commit genocide onto those that once trusted me and called me friend. I screamed at the Nightmares and fearlings to stop, but they just laughed at me and continued to..."

"It's...it's alright, mate. If you're truly telling the truth..."

"I am." Pitch whispered out in a desperate plea. "I don't expect you to...I don't expect forgiveness, nor do I believe I deserve it. All I ask is that you believe me."

"That's a lot to ask, Pitch." Bunny stated as his ears drooped slightly.

"I am well aware."

"Well, I believe you." Jack stated. "When we were in Antarctica, you had every chance to just do away with me then, but you didn't. Someone who was able to destroy an entire civilization and killed Sandy wouldn't bother to try and have a partner, like you were trying to convince me to be."

Pitch looked up in surprise at Jack's words and his jaw dropped slightly. "I believe you too. The look you gave us all when we came after you on the ice...you were terrified, but it wasn't because you weren't believed in anymore or because you no longer had control over the Nightmares...you looked at us with terror in your eyes." Tooth explained as she floated down to the floor to stand.

"I have no reason not to believe you. We truly weren't there, and I have big feeling in belly that you tell truth." North stated with a small smile as he patted his belly.

Bunny scratched at his ear with his paw as he looked at the others. "Well...I guess there's nothin' to forgive or be mad at ya for if ya really weren't in control of yourself, and if ya really didn't want to do all those things. The real blame lies on the Nightmares and fearlin's."

Pitch's jaw completely dropped in shock, and for a good five minutes he had wondered if he was hearing everything correctly, or if this was his first ever dream, but he remembered the fear he felt last night that still needed answers, and he knew all of this was real. Then, Sandy came forward, and he clamped his mouth shut as the small golden slowly walked towards him with wide eyes of his own. "S-Sandman?"

Sandman made his cloud appear underneath his feet, and made it float up slightly. He made Pitch look at him by grabbing his chin. Once he saw into Pitch's eyes, his own widened even further and he descended back to the floor, and began to slowly make symbols appear.  _'He's telling the truth. His eyes do not waver, and his soul is remorseful. Everything he has said has been completely true.'_ Sandy looked at his hands for a brief moment and then he looked back up at Pitch, and held out his hand.  _'I believe you...and I forgive you.'_

"Y-You what!? All of you!? Wait...Sandy...you forgive me...wait...I...I didn't think..."

"First you want us to believe you, and then you don't believe us when we say we do?" Jack chuckled out. "It seems you're contradicting yourself there, Pitch."

Pitch looked at Sandy's hand which was still held out to him and he slowly nodded his head as he shook it. "I just...it was a lot to ask for and..." He then turned his gaze to a very proud Aurora. "You're unbelievable." He laughed out in an almost giddy manner. "You have got to be the only person that even thought there may be something more to the story...and you convinced them to believe me."

"I knew what I read and what I felt when I heard your heart song, and I knew there was more to you than just 'the evil Boogeyman.' So, I was wondering if there was a book about you in here somewhere and there was and I read and I determined...there's still good in you."

Pitch looked at Aurora and scoffed out a laugh. "You're mad and strange..." At his own words he felt the fear slowly rise from her and it made him feel sick so he gave her as soft a smile as he could as he let out an honest chuckle. "...but perhaps that exactly what we need." The way the fear practically dissipated into something akin to relief was enough to send chills down his spine, but he forced the feeling away as he nodded his head at her shocked expression. "Thank you, Aurora."

"You're welcome!" She said quickly, but then it was as if an actual idea light bulb appeared above her head the way she shot up from her seat. "Mad..." She said slowly with a wide grin. "I know someone who could also help. You see, we can give the families back their fear, wonder, joy, memories, hope, and dreams, but there is one thing that families can't do anything without."

"What's that?" Pitch asked curiously.

"Love! We can work together to give the children what they need by giving them joy, wonder, hope, dreams, and good memories...but Pitch...you, me, and cupid can affect even adults! We can work on the adults and the children while the others just focus on the children. That should be enough to fix the natural order of things. All we have to do is ask Cupid to help."

"Right...and Cupid will help us why?" Pitch questioned with a risen brow.

"She owes me...and by owes me...I'm talking from the 60's to the early 2000's worth of owing me." She gave her own mischievous smirk. "I think I'm gonna call in that debt now."

Pitch couldn't help the small twitch of his lips at the look on Aurora's face.  _'This woman is going to BLACKMAIL Cupid!? That would truly be a sight but...'_  He turned his gaze to Jack who simply rolled his eyes with a proud smile at his sister. "Jack, was she always like this?"

"Oh yeah! Like I said...I can't hold a candle to her pranks...or her mischief. Also, in case you were wondering why she became so stern about something that didn't make sense to her. If something doesn't seem to add up, she will try her damndest to make sure she gets all the facts, and if it affects someone in a negative way and in an unjust manner, she'll fight tooth and nail to make sure that it stops."

"SHE is also right here, Jack." She snapped lightly.

"Well, at least you know where you're at then, huh?" He mischievously spat back as he flew away laughing with Aurora quickly flying after him as she held tight to her staff. After a few flying laps around the globe, Jack finally came down laughing his head off, but then Aurora tackled him to the ground pulling his arm back.

"Do you yield, little brother?" She questioned with a dark smirk.

"AH! Yes! I yield! I yield!" She released his arm and he picked himself up off the floor, brushing off whatever dirt may have gotten on his sweater. "You never change do ya? Well, except for the flying of course, but you're personality is still completely the same."

"So is yours it seems." She smiles at him fondly, and the rest in the room wore completely stunned and shocked faces. "What?" She asked them all.

"Nothing it's just...You got Jack to yield...and the two of you..." Tooth started as she narrowed her eyes at Jack and Aurora.

"What is it?" Jack asked.

"Well...it's hard to explain." Bunny started then. "It almost seems...look, the two of you aren't tryin' to make up for lost time, not askin' each other twenty questions, you're just actin'...normal. It seems as if the two of ya had been together the whole time."

Jack and Aurora gave each other knowing grins as they both pulled out necklaces from around their necks. Aurora held up a snowflake pendant, and Jack held up a sun pendant. "Jack, did you always have that necklace?" Tooth asked.

"Yeah...I didn't know why, but I couldn't find it in me to get rid of it. I'm glad I didn't."

"What do these two necklaces have to do with actin' like you've been together this whole time." Bunny asked with a raised brow.

"I think I may be able to answer that, actually." Pitch stated as he stood up with a gentle smile. "Aurora...Jack...may I?" Pitch asked as he held out a hand to them both, and was inwardly surprised when they handed their necklaces to him, but he chose not to show it. He looked at the one Jack handed him and looked to Aurora with a soft smile. "So, you were born in the summer then?" He asked as he looked up at her.

"Yes." She answered as a clear understanding crossed her features as well as Jack's. Meanwhile the others were still lost.

"And Jack, you were born in winter?" He asked as he looked at the pendant that Aurora handed him.

"Yup." He stated with a knowing smirk.

"What does this have to do with..." North started.

"These are known as 'remember me' necklaces. I actually made one for my wife once."

"What's a 'remember me' necklace?" North asked with fascination at Pitch's last words.

"Well, that's a loaded question. Hmm...typically, two people would share it with one another, and it had to be made. It couldn't be bought, and it couldn't be made by anyone else than who it involved. It's a sort of special charm, but what's strange is that...this was only something done on my planet, and this is the very first time I am seeing them since I made my wife's hers...before I explain more...do the two of you mind telling me how you came about this idea?"

"Oh, well...there was a woman that was coming through our village and she was looking for a place to stay...no one would give her one, and she said that she was waiting on her home to be repaired...so mother and I offered her our home..." Aurora began to explain.

"Yeah, and she saw how much fun Aurora and I would have with one another, and how we would treat each other. She also saw how much we both hated it when Aurora had to go away for weeks on end for her own work...so, she told us about the 'remember me' necklaces. She taught us how to make them and then she..." Jack continued.

"She took them for a little while saying that she was going to put finishing touches on them and she gave them back. I made Jack his sun pendant, and he made me my snowflake pendant." Aurora finished with a proud smile.

Pitch's jaw dropped slightly as he had an idea of who the woman was. "Did she give you a name?"

"Yeah!" Aurora answered brightly. "Her name was..." A strange sort of realization just dawned on her as she looked at Pitch with widened eyes. "No way..." She breathed out.

"What was her name, Aurora?" Pitch asked with a pleading expression.

"Her name...her name was Emily Jane Pitchiner. Pitch...that woman...was that your..."

Pitch nodded as he fought back the tears in his eyes. "Yes, that would be my daughter. Thank you for helping her, even if I don't know the full circumstances...she was always a wild child, so I am almost certain that..."

"She said she accidentally caught her house on fire with a cooking experiment." Jack quickly answered in slight awe that he had met Pitch's daughter.

Pitch belted out a long, loud, and honest laugh. "That certainly sounds like her! I can't tell you how many times I had to repair my kitchen. Well, regardless, I'm glad she met the two of you, and by the way, the finishing touches she put into your necklaces was magic."

"What kind of magic?"

"Well, Jack, for starters, when you couldn't bring yourself to remove it...that's part of it. The other part...did the two of you ever wonder why there's a snowflake etched in the back of the sun pendant and a sun etched in the back of snowflake pendant?"

"No, we just thought it was part of the design." Jack admitted as he gave his sister a side glance.

"Well, yes and no. Here...put them back on." Pitch ordered in an excited manner, and the whole thing baffled the other Guardians, but they weren't about to stop the explanation. Once they put their necklaces back on they gave Pitch a questioning look. "Good, now, both of you touch the back of your pendants." He said with a wide smile.

"Alright..." They said at the same time and did as he asked. Almost immediately light erupted from the pendants and both Jack and Aurora saw themselves appear, but not just that. It played holograms of their memories. The memories of them playing together, fighting together, eating together, and of the two of them making the pendants. "Wow..." Aurora laughed out in pure wonder, causing North to smile quite a bit.

"This is impressive." North stated as he felt the energy of pure wonder come off of Aurora.

"It is, and I'm glad she showed it to the two of you. This way, no matter what, neither of you can truly forget the other. These pendants...are also why you aren't acting like you have been separated by three hundred plus years. Their designed that way...enchanted that way. They make you feel as if not a day has gone by, but you knew that, and that's why you showed them the necklaces."

"I had no idea about the back of the necklace..." Jack stated. "If I had just touched the back of it..."

"You would've had your memories...but you had no way of knowing, and even if the memories did play, you would've likely thought they weren't you, because at first you thought you always looked this way." Pitch carefully explained, and was glad to see a slow nod come from Jack. "There is also one more thing that they can do. Take them off and put the backs of them together until the glow is gone." Jack and Aurora gave him a questioning look and did as he asked. Once they placed the backs together they were surprised that an orange and light blue glow immediately came from both pendants. They waited for the glow to be completely gone, and they pulled their necklaces apart. "Alright, now...Jack, your necklace holds her memories from the day that the two of you were separated, and Aurora, yours hold the same of Jack's memories. So, basically..."

"We hold the memories of each other since I died." Jack stated with wide eyes.

"Exactly, Jack, and you can even control the date of which the memory shows. All you would have to do would give the month, day, and year, and you'll see what happened that day."

"Wow..." Aurora said as she looked at her pendant and then at Jack. "Well, looks like we'll have a lot to catch up on, but that's gonna have to wait. We need to get to Cupid, and I just so happen to know how to get to her cloud."


	6. CUPID!

"Uh...Aurora? What are you doing?" Jack asked as she walked to one of the windows, and stood on the bench that sat in front of it.

"I'm opening a portal to her palace. She taught me this...I want to say...sixty years after I was turned into a spirit." Aurora held tight to her staff as she fogged up the glass with her breath, and quickly wrote 'February 14th' with an infinity symbol after '14th' and it was all written backwards. Then as the fog faded, she kissed the '14th', and suddenly the window glowed a bright pink, with a swirl in the middle of it similar to the swirl from one of North's snow globes. "Alright, it's best if we go as quickly as possible. It only stays open for five minutes. Let's go!" She giggled as she jumped through.

Once they were all through, they were all thoroughly surprised to have landed on an actual pink cloud kingdom. There was a massive castle in front of them that, despite popular belief, was not pink, but black on the outside, but shades of red and pink could be seen on the inside. "Well, if it isn't Sleeping Beauty herself!" A tall and muscular man with short black hair, shirtless tanned skin, and intricate tattoos came forward to give Aurora a tight hug while holding a rather large spear that stood about ten feet tall.

"Hello, Victor. Always good to see you!" She stated with a glad smile as she returned the hug. "Where's Hans?" She questioned as she let go of the hug and looked around. "I don't see him."

"Oh, he went to tell Alanna Valentina that you're here. Once he saw the portal and knew who was coming through, he went straight for Alanna. She should know by..."

"AURORA!" A woman's voice interrupted with a shout off in the distance.

"...now." Victor finished off with a soft and deep chuckle.

"Hi Alann-Oof!" Aurora was knocked over on her backside before she could finish the sentence, by a woman seemingly in her late twenties with short pixie cut blonde hair and the wings of a raven. She was wearing a long red T-shirt, dark-blue jeans, and black sneakers. "Good to see you too, Alanna." She groaned out with a laugh.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Alanna said as she quickly got up off of Aurora. Once they were both standing she squealed in delight. "I've missed you so much!"

"We all have." Victor added with a roll of his eyes.

"Well, that's good, considering I need a favor." Aurora told Alanna.

"Wait...this is Cupid?" Jack asked with risen brows and wide eyes.

"Oh! You brought friends, Aurora! Oh...and that one's rather handsome." Alanna immediately walked to Jack and started circling around him. "Your're rather good looking. Your heart tells me you're single but that you have the full commitment capability. Wow! How exciting! Good men like you are rare for me now a days so I'm going to guess your birth year was around...hmm...late 1600's or early 1700's. Am I right?"

"Y-Yeah..."

"Oh, that voice too!" Alanna squealed. "Oh, I must have you! Your heart tells me that you would take things slow, and that you would be a complete and total romantic! Oh, but it's also a nervous one...and you're a virgin to boot! Well, I'm sure I could fix both of those if you let..."

"Alanna! Hands off my little brother!" Aurora growled as she tightened her grip on her staff and pointed it at Alanna.

"Your brother?" Alanna snorted as she turned around to see a very serious Aurora, and her amused expression quickly dropped in a matter of seconds. "What do you mean?"

"Jack, tell her your name."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

"Fine...my name is Jackson Overland Frost."

Suddenly a small book appeared in front of Alanna and she immediately opened it out of curiosity. "Let's see...Father's name is James, Mother's name is Elizabeth, older sister's name is...Aurora Muse...name Muse was placed due to the death of Jackson Overland Frost who later became the spirit of winter and Guardian of Fun..." She closed the book sadly, and it disappeared into thin air. She looked up at Jack with sympathetic eyes, and let out a light sigh. "So, little brother then...huh?" She questioned as her wings opened up in a way that almost looked like an invitation for a hug, and she slid her hands in her jean pockets.

"Yeah, I'm her little brother. Why?"

"Well, that just ruins the fun that's all. If you're her brother, then I will treat you as a brother as well, considering I see her as a precious little sister. So..." She turned her gaze to Aurora once more. "I promise to keep my hands off Jack, but I highly doubt you brought him and the rest of your new friends here just for introductions. What is this favor?"

"Well it's a big favor..."

"You do know that I'm a hard working woman, don't you?" She questioned with a risen brow and hands on her hips.

"Of course I know that, but do you remember that I let you place a transformation spell on me for a little more than forty years because you got your heart broken? You said you would do anything to make it up to me...well, sorry Alanna, but 'anything' has arrived."

"Oh! I knew I would regret swearing that to you." She let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine, what is it? Does it have something to do with Pitch Black being here?"

"Um, well yes...is that a problem?"

"Not at all! I've always wanted to meet him!" She let out a slight squeal and the feathers on her wings ruffled with excitement.

"Excuse me?" Pitch asked with a dumbfounded expression.

"Oh. My. MOON! That voice! Oh goodness! Anyway...let me take a good look at him and then I'll answer you..."

"Alanna I really don't think that's..." Alanna flew past her and she just shook her head. "...necessary." She sighed out the last word.

"Oh, but it is!" Alanna squealed once more. "Let's see..." She said as she began to circle around Pitch.

"Get away from me." He growled out low.

"Not. A. Chance." She beamed up at him with a mischievous grin. She circled him once more, then finally stopped in front of him. "My, my, my...you've loved fast and true. Your first love was love at first sight, but you also have a true love...but it wasn't her! How remarkable! Oh, and not a virgin! How surprising, and it seems it was taken by your first love! However, because of how much you loved your first love, your heart was not just broken, it had been shattered, and seemingly by your own hand, but it tells me that it was not all completely your fault, but a deep darkness' fault. It has known pain, fear, defeat, misery, and desperation. Yet...oh, this is interesting...the pieces are being put back together." Alanna stepped back in awe as she still looked at Pitch's chest.

"What?" Pitch questioned with a completely stunned expression.

"Oh yes...little by little. I just don't know who's doing it. It's not put together enough for me to know, but someone somewhere has been picking up the pieces, and unwittingly putting them back into place. What I see in your heart is that before it was so shattered...it was also kind, humorous, and filled with a steadfast stubborn will to love with all you had. It was so free, wonderful, joyful, memorable, imaginative, and filled with so much hope. Those are the pieces that are being picked up, and by how fast the pieces are being put together, this is also a love at first sight, but not your heart nor your mind will register it to you, so you don't actually know. Only I can see this. Oh my goodness! This is wonderful!"

"What pieces?" Pitch asked out of pure curiosity, and noticed the others' shocked and equally curious expressions.

"They have names...everyone who has certain pieces in their heart, they all have individual names. The pieces to your heart are known as Carefree, Wonder, Joy, Memory, Imagination, and Hope." She looked to the Guardians and smiled. "Well, with that said, I believe my curiosity is piqued. So, I shall go with you all if only to find who is repairing these pieces faster than anything I've ever seen in my very long life."

"So...you'll help us?" Aurora asked cautiously.

"That's what I just said, Princess. So, what brought the Guardians together this time?"

North and the others began their explanation of what the situation was, why Pitch was there, and the last thing they told her left her in stunned awe. "...and that's pretty much it. Now, we're here." Aurora finished, and noticed a gaping Alanna who's wings were drooped in complete shock.

"Wait...Aurora, you're to be made a Guardian?"

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing Darling..." Alanna quickly said as she took a quick glance at Pitch and the Guardians. "...just..."

"Just what?"

Alanna snapped her attention back to Aurora, and then her eyes shot wide open as she quickly looked back at Pitch and then to Aurora. "Just...interesting. Very interesting, my dear." She gave a short laugh. "Alright...so it'll be me, you, and Pitch then, yes?"

"I mean...if you really want to...wait...What was with that light bulb look for?" Aurora asked as she defiantly placed her hands on her hips.

"Oh you know me, dear...I always have ideas or realizations."

"That's what worries me."

"Don't you worry your pretty little head, Princess Aurora. We have families to save! Where's our first stop?"

"Hold up!" Jack laughed out.

"No, Jack."

"Oh come on! You don't even know what I was going to say!" He feigned a childish wine, causing Aurora to roll her eyes.

"Of course I know what you were going to ask. You were going to ask her to tell all of you what my heart tells her."

"Oh, but I would love to. Especially with all these new...realizations." Alanna grinned wickedly as she circled twice around Aurora.

"Why do you circle around the person twice?" Tooth asked in a curious form of fascination.

"Once for the good side of the heart, and a second time for the bad side. I also do this on her in case something has changed in her heart. When I met her I did this, and determined she would be a very good friend, and now I can see more."

"Okay, so what does it say?" Jack asked as he balanced on the top of his staff.

"My, my...look at you! Filled with so much grace. Such a shame I can't have you." Alanna said with a small pout. "Anyway, her heart tells me that the only love she has really known was that of familial love. She has never been romanced, nor has she known the word by anything but its name. She has never fallen in love, nor has she ever had the inkling of what it would be like to love in a romantic way. However, if she were to love, her love would be fierce, wild, free, loyal, determined, steadfast, true, and filled with as much laughter and mischief as possible. I can also tell that it would start as love at first sight, but she would be stubborn about it, simply because she doesn't know what love in a romantic way feels like. So, it may take some time for her to realize it and..." Alanna's eyes shot open wide as she quickly circled around Aurora once more. When she was standing in front of her she clasped her hands to her mouth and let out a soft squeal. "...my goodness, Aurora. You're quite the rare one."

"How so?" She asked with a tilt of her head, and a small smirk on her lips.

"Well, because, my dear princess, love at first sight is rare in and of itself. It doesn't typically happen...but your love at first sight is also something even rarer than that. You have a trifecta! Not only will your love at first sight be your first love, but they will also be your one true love! That's why you don't know romance! In all my years of knowing you I should've guessed!"

"Wait, I don't understand...why couldn't she know romance?" Tooth asked curiously.

"Because she has a true love! Now, there are cases such as Pitch's where they can have a first love and have a true love...but that first love not being their one true love...however, if that's the case...then their first love would've had to tell them their feelings for them to notice there was love at all. Is that what happened, Pitch?" Pitch gave a fond reminiscent smile and nodded his head. "How lovely." Alanna sighed out. "Anyway, that can happen...in Pitch's case...his first love may have been love at first sight, but it wasn't his one true love. In Aurora's case she has what is called the trifecta. Because her true love will be her first love and love at first sight, her heart won't have anyone else, so it is waiting. That's why she hasn't known love. Her heart is waiting! Oh my goodness! This is so exciting!" Alanna flew up into the air and spun around in sheer excitement. "Oh, I haven't seen a trifecta in centuries!" She squealed out as she descended back to their level. "The only thing is...this is one of those rare times where I can't just shoot an arrow and it'll be fine. You and your true love will have to actually say it or express it with one another."

"Do you know who he is?"

"Hmm...it'll take a lot of time and effort, but I can help you find out who he is. Now, all new and exciting things aside...we have families to save, yes?"

"Yes! Let us go!" North said as he took out a snow globe. "Let's start with small town familiar to us." North shook the snow globe and whispered, "I say...Burgess!"


	7. The Mission!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DO NOT OWN THE SONGS OR LYRICS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Song: Be My Forever  
> By: Christina Perri and Ed Sheeran

Once they arrived at Burgess, the all appeared on Jack's pond and it was around ten at night. "Ah...home sweet home!" Jack stated as she stood on the still ever frozen ice.

"Burgess is your home?" Aurora asked curiously. She knew they lived in the town, but that was before it gained it's name

"No, the pond. The pond is my home."

"Your...your home is your grave?"

"Ah...well, when you put it like that..."

"We can discuss that later. I can sense an angered and broken heart..."

"And I can sense Joy being ripped away." Jack stated.

"Good memories are being forgotten..." Tooth said sadly.

"We must hurry and do what we can." North stated with a look of pure conviction and determination on his face. "Pitch will go with Cupid and Aurora...Jack you come with me, Sandy go with Tooth, and Bunny..."

"Go through my tunnels give some hope, and stop by the houses that were already stopped at just in case."

"Good, we have plan! Let's move!"

"Come on, Aurora." Cupid said as she flew off, and quickly heard Pitch and Aurora follow behind her.

"Aurora...I have to ask...where did her wings go?" Pitch questioned as he flew along side Aurora.

"Oh, they're only visible in her domain. When she leaves, so do they, but they can still fly...obviously."

"Oh, there's the house!" Cupid shouted as she flew down to a tree branch that was in front of a window.

"I don't care!" They heard a young man's voice shout.

"Jamie, you must see reason!"

"No! I'm gonna do what I want, and you can't stop me!" A young man stormed up to his room, and started packing things into his back pack.

"That's Jack's first believer!" Pitch said in a shocked state. "When I last saw him, he was kind and free spirited kid, and he bravely faced me...what is wrong with him?"

"Hmm..." Cupid started as she went through his window.

"W-Who's there?" Jamie questioned. "Jack? If that's you playing tricks, I'm really not in the mood and I...I have to go."

Cupid laughed lightly and pulled a small pink pouch from her pocket. "What's that?" Pitch asked.

"I use it when I can...to let humans see the unseeable. It's how I got my first believers...once they saw they believed. I didn't use any for Jack, because I didn't exactly know who he was..." She poured some pink dust into her hand and blew into Jamie's face.

"W-What?" Jamie started as he started to rub at his eyes. When he opened them he gawked at what he saw and then he practically ran for the other side of the room.

"Well, it seems he can see me." Pitch grinned mischievously.

"W-What a-are you doing b-back? Who are these two?"

"Well, it seems as if I'm actually needed Jamie." Pitch answered honestly as he and Aurora floated into his room.

"Y-Yeah right! W-What could y-you be n-needed for?"

"Jamie...what's with the back pack?" Aurora asked patiently, suddenly feeling a bit uncomfortable at being seen.

"I was going to leave. I was going to run away, and possibly earn some money by playing guitar..."

"You're only seventeen." Cupid stated.

"How would you know that?"

"I can tell...it says so on your heart."

"And who are you...and who is she?"

"My name is Alanna Valentina, but most just call me Cupid."

"Cupid!? Cupid is in my room!? Wait...where's your wings...and your bow and arrows?"

"My wings are invisible." She stated with a smug smile. "As for my bow and arrows..." Cupid made her arms and hands in the position to pull an arrow, and that's when a large red bow with a black arrow appeared. "This is my weapon."

"COOL! But wait...why would Cupid work with the Boogeyman?"

"Because of situations like yours, young one. How about you tell me what happened."

"Well...I...I got into a fight at school, and when I came home, my mom heard about it and she was pissed. We got into a huge fight and I said that everything would be better if I wasn't here...and I told her I'll just leave...then she got upset and we fought some more. After that, she saw me packing up my stuff and tried to get me to stop, but I didn't want to listen. She said that she just wanted to try and understand, but honestly I don't care, and that's what I said...then the three of you showed up. I still don't know who she is!"

"My name is Aurora Muse. When I was alive I was Jack Frost's older sister."

"Y-You were...you were Jack Frost's sister? For real?"

"Yup, born and raised I'm afraid. Now, what was the fight at school about?"

"...S-Someone tried to tell me that Jack Frost and the others weren't real. That the...the boogeyman wasn't real. So, I punched them in the face. A few of the others still believe, but the rest of my friends that don't...they don't make fun of me."

"Somehow I feel honored that you punched another kid because they said I wasn't real." Pitch stated with a mischievous grin.

"Yeah, well...you're not welcome."

"Jamie...That means a lot to me that you would do that for my little brother and his friends...but do you honestly think that Jack would be happy you did such a thing? Not only that...but the one person who was willing to listen...you quite literally told her you didn't care."

"Jamie...do you want to know what her greatest fear is right now?" Pitch questioned with his hands clasped patiently behind his back.

"Not really, but I'm sure you're going to tell me anyway." Jamie rolled his eyes.

"Well, you'd be right then. Right now, her greatest fear is losing you, and not being able to talk to you. She fears that she has failed as a mother, and that you really meant it when you said you didn't care. However, she took it as you didn't care about her enough to tell her what happened at school, and that you don't care enough to listen."

"He's right..." Cupid stated sadly. "You broke your mother's heart. She only wanted to listen, and I know you can't hear it...but I can. I can also hear your little sister Sophie...she's crying in her room as quietly as she can. She would miss you, and wonder what she did wrong or if she could've done something. Is that really what you want?"

"I...I can't possibly have done all that..."

"Let's go downstairs then, shall we?" Aurora asked as she gently grabbed Jamie's hand.

Pitch followed behind, and noticed that something ugly had sharply rose in his chest, but it went away as quickly as it came. Once they were downstairs they saw Jamie's mother with her face in her hands. "She doesn't want to lose you Jamie." Pitch stated.

"He's right...you're supposed to love one another..." Cupid smiled as she patted Jamie's shoulder, and only her and the other two spirits in the room noticed the soft red glow on his shoulder. "She is your family, and she loves you very much. Take it from someone who knows...family is very important, and words can do more damage than an actual arrow, because...once they're said said...they're very difficult to take back...but you can never get rid of them." She told him as she walked over to his mother and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "But...families fight...it's what they do. You just have to make sure that your family still knows you love them, and want to be with them. When you're angry it's hard to do...so just try to refrain from saying you don't care, or that you hate them. You're a teenager...it's expected, but words do hurt more than just those they were said to...your sister is hurting, but your mother is hurting the most." She told him as she placed her hand back on his shoulder.

Suddenly tears appeared in Jamie's eyes and he ran towards his mother as quickly as possible and tackled her with a hug. "I'm sorry Mom!"

"Oh!" Jamie's mother shouted in surprise as she slowly began to pat Jamie's back. "Jamie...what happened at school?"

"I...I...got into a fight, because...because someone told me that Jack and the others weren't real, and I didn't want to tell you, because I was embarrassed and..."

"Shhh...it's alright now." She patted him on the shoulder in the exact spot that Cupid patted Jamie. Then, she gently pushed him away. "Hey, you listen to me. You believe in whatever you want to, alright? As long as you stay safe and happy and make good choices, I see no reason why you can't still believe in them. You're my son and I love you, and I don't like fighting with you...you know that right?" She questioned with a worried expression.

At her words, Jamie choked on a sob and cried into his mother's shoulder that Cupid had patted. "Come, let's go...be good Jamie." Cupid told him as she floated out of the house, and onto the next one.

"Why were their shoulders glowing?" Pitch asked as they headed for the next house.

"It's where the connection will mend. She placed her hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eyes to tell him that he loved her, and he cried into her shoulder silently saying the same."

"Are we going to have to do that for every house?" He asked in a slightly annoyed tone.

"I don't really know, but Jamie believes in you again...you too, Aurora." Cupid smiled back at her, and she had a stunned look on her face.

"So...that's what that feeling was."

"That feeling in your heart at being a little bit more complete?" Cupid asked and Aurora nodded. "Yeah, that's what that feels like. You know, I find it interesting that you and Jack share a first believer."

"HA! He'll have a field day when he finds out." She laughed out, but then she felt the familiar tug to inspire someone. "Guys, hold on...I think I know the next place to go...and it's a couple's house..."

"There's no children?" Pitch asked.

"No...come on." She said excitedly as she darted back a little ways from Jamie's house.

Once they arrived and phased through the house, knowing that they would be too old to believe in them, they watched as the couple bickered. "...and who said I wanted you to do that anyway!"

"No one, I just...!"

"Exactly! You just thought you would go ahead and make plans for me, when I had planned to take today off!"

"I just wanted to go and enjoy a simple dinner!"

"Yeah, I'm sure! Then, what!? You would ask me to marry you and sweep me off my feet!? Who do you think you are!?"

"A boyfriend who loves and lives with you."

"Yeah well...what if I don't want you here anymore?"

Cupid made to move with a mischievous grin, but was quickly stopped by Aurora. "Oh, no...this one's mine." Aurora moved towards the seething couple and lightly pressed both of their chests, and took out a small ball of light from each of them, and gently levitated it above their heads.

The man who was about to counteract the woman's words suddenly stopped as the song above them played. "Can they hear it?" Pitch questioned in fascination.

"No, but they can hear the song in their head." She stated with a proud smile. "Just watch."

Pitch watched the couple slow their fighting and their expressions said that they both had a strange thought. The woman chuckled nervously, "You know...I don't know why...but...our song is stuck in my head at the moment."

"Funny...same here." He smiled brightly. "Here...let me play it so it doesn't stay stuck in our heads."

"That would be a good idea." She sighed out. The man went to the computer and pulled up a lyrical video of the song, and it started to play. However, half way through it he stopped it. "Why'd you stop it?"

"I...I'm not sure."

Aurora grinned and held her hands out, making a small golden ball of light appear in each hand. She beamed brightly as she placed the balls of light into their chests, and quickly made her way back to Pitch. "What did you do?" He asked.

"Just watch."

"I...Dance with me." The man requested.

"WHAT!?"

"Dance with me. I want to dance with you...I can't explain it..."

"It's okay...I...want to dance with you too." She gave him a soft smile. "Play it again."

"A-Alright..." The man agreed with a light blush, and the song played once more, but this time they danced happily along to the song.

_We're on top of the world_   
_We're on top of the world now darling so don't let go_   
_Can I call you mine_   
_So can I call you mine now darling_   
_For a whole lot of time_   
_My heart finally trust my mind_   
_And I know somehow it's right_

_And oh we got time, yeah_   
_So darling just say you'll stay_   
_Right by my side_   
_And oh we got love, yeah_   
_So darling just swear you'll stand right by my side_

_We're on top of the world_   
_We're on top of the world now darling so don't let go_   
_Hmm, I've got something to say_   
_You're perfect in every way, I'm gonna shout it out_   
_I'm wanna tell you now_   
_'Cause I know somehow it's right_

_And oh we got time, yeah_   
_So darling just say you'll stay right by my side_   
_And oh we got love, yeah_   
_Darling just swear you'll stand right by my side_

_Be my forever_   
_Be my forever_   
_Be my forever_

_Be my forever_   
_Be my forever_   
_Be my forever_

_You're my bright blue sky_   
_You're the sun in my eyes_   
_Oh baby you're my life_   
_You're the reason why_

_We're on top of the world_   
_We're on top of the world now darling so don't let go_   
_(1, 2, 3, 4)_

_And oh, we got time_   
_Yeah, we got love_   
_So darling just swear you'll stay right by my side_   
_Oh, and we got love, yeah_   
_So darling just swear you'll stand right by my side_

_Be my forever_   
_Be my forever_   
_Be my forever_

_Be my forever_   
_Be my forever_   
_Be my forever_

_Will you love me forever?_   
_I'll love you forever_   
_Be my forever_

_Be my forever_   
_Be my forever_   
_Be my forever_

"We should get going..." Cupid stated.

"Oh...just one more time...you know what's going to happen. You can't tell me you don't want to be there for it."

"Alright fine. Damn you for knowing my weaknesses..."

"What are friends for?"

"At this point I don't know." She teased as the song played one more time.

As the song continued, Pitch watched Aurora more than the couple, and noticed that she was swaying to the beat and held a carefree and soft smile on her face. His breath hitched in his throat, and he felt the strange feeling in his chest once again as she spun around once, seemingly forgetting that he and Cupid were there. As the song ended, he somehow found his breath again, only for it to be snatched away when a look of realization on her face appeared. "Oh...I'm sorry..." She apologized to Pitch, and a sharp pang came and went with the unnecessary apology.

"What are you apologizing for, my dear?" Pitch questioned without thinking, and right then and there he knew that if he could blush he would've.  _'What...What just came out of my mouth!?'_

"Erm..." Aurora started as a slight blush threatened to grace her cheeks. "...I hadn't realized I had started dancing. Sometimes I can't help it..."

"Both of you shh! He's reaching into his pocket."

"Hey...Kate..." The man knelt down to one knee and opened the box. "I'm not exactly how or when it happened, but at some point you became the most interesting thing to happen in my life...and then you went from interesting, to wonderful...and well...I had this planned so much better in my head, but that's why I made plans today...to do this...and well...I'm doing it now...so...I guess what I want to know is...if you'll marry me?"

"YES!" She shouted jumping up and down. "This is better than anything you could've had planned. We fought and made up with our song, we danced, and now...wow! Put the ring on put the ring on!"

"Now, we should go." Cupid said as she looked at Pitch and Aurora.

"Right." They said at the same time, causing an unnoticeable eye roll from Cupid.

They went through about ten or twelve houses repeating the same thing, telling the children the fears their families had, and if there weren't children but bickering couples, then it was up to Cupid or Aurora, but Aurora had only done her part to two other houses since the one that had the proposal, and once she affected them, she insisted that they leave and move onto the next house.

"That one right there!" Pitch said as he came across what had to be a group of thirteen year olds. "They're breaking into a cop car while the officer is eating inside. Let me handle this one. Cupid may I borrow just a bit of that dust you have."

"Sure here you go. I'm interested to see what you'll do."

"Thank you." He carefully grabbed the pouch from her hand and flew down to the four young teens, and sprinkled some of the dust in their eyes. Once they were finished rubbing their eyes, Pitch laughed wickedly as he made solid shadow forms of police officers appear, and he came forward in front of them. "What do you think you're doing?" Pitch's voice echoed.

"Nothing! What's it to you!"

"Oh, to me...nothing, but to my friends..." He chuckled darkly. "...tell me, do any of you fear the consequences of your actions? Committing crimes? Oh, and not just this one! You, the one with the horrid hair cut trying to look like a cockatoo...you're afraid of what really happens in jail, and that your parents will find out that you stole a hundred dollars rather than someone else...let me tell you something...these only represent real officers. They aren't, but I promise you, they're very solid." He snapped his fingers and one of the officers immediately turned one of the boys around and started cuffing him. "Shall, I keep you restrained until the real cops arrive?"

"N-No! What are you!?"

"You may have heard of me, though people think I'm not real now a days...I'm sure you'll change that somehow...along with your friends that are shaking in fear over there. My name is Pitch Black, but I'm also known as the Boogeyman. The lot of you are common criminals and if you keep on like this, you will see nothing in your futures but a frightening time behind bars. No Joy, no Wonder, no happiness, just fear and loneliness. Now, if the lot of you are smart boys like I think you are, you will run from here, and reevaluate your values, and one of you will tell your parents the truth about the money." They all frantically nodded their heads and ran off. "Ah! That was good."

"Well done, Pitch." Aurora called out, and for some reason Pitch couldn't help but beam in pride.

"Liked that did you?" He asked as he floated back up to them.

"It was genius, I have to admit. You used shadows of police officers to instill the fear of breaking the law into four teenagers. I don't think they're going to forget that lesson for a long time. You did great!"

Those words alone were enough to have Pitch completely dumbfounded. No one had ever told him that him causing fear was a good thing. "Thank you." He said with a small twitch of a smile gracing his lips. "So, onto the next ones, yes?"

"Yes." She answered with confidence and excitement.


	8. What is Your Center?

For two straight nights it repeated the same and more than a few times they ran into the others and reported what they've done, and although Bunny had to revisit thirty houses, they all did their part and eventually the families that were on their 'immediate attention needing' radar. Jack and North took care of most of Europe while Tooth and Sandy took care of everywhere else. After that, they all grouped up and did what little they could left in restoring hope, joy, wonder, dreams and imagination, memories, fear, love, and of course Aurora did her part, but after that one house with the proposal, she didn't dance again, and it upset Pitch for some reason, but the thing was...he didn't know why.

"Is everyone here?" North asked as Cupid, Aurora and Pitch arrived.

"I think so..." Jack stated as he looked around. "...I had no idea the world needed so much Joy.

"It is good thing we did this." North stated with a beaming and proud smile. "So, how you feeling, Pitch?"

"Honestly?" Pitch asked as he looked to the other Guardians who seemed to have the same question resting in their eyes.

"Yeah, honestly. How you feeling, Pitch?" North repeated.

"Believed in...believed in, and sane. Millions of families needed fear and now millions of children believe in the Boogeyman once more. How did the rest of you fare?"

"Pretty well, if I do say so myself." Bunny beamed with pride. "Although..." His ears drooped back as he rested on his haunches. "...I didn't realize how many families needed hope until we passed their houses. It was...difficult...it looks like they needed a lot more than fear."

"Yeah..." Jack said as he scratched the back of his head. "...they needed all of us."

"I can't tell you how many heart and soul songs I had to pull out. It was beautiful...and so much music!" Aurora told them all with excitement.

"It took two whole days though!" Jack whined out as he stretched his back.

"We all need rest...then we celebrate tomorrow, yeah?" North asked.

"You all can celebrate as much as you like. I will be back at my lair if you need me." Pitch groaned out.

"Nonsense! We find out you weren't you when you were evil...and now you are good and believed in! This is cause for celebration!"

"Wait...the celebration is for me?" Pitch questioned as he gawked at them all with a confused expression. "Why would there be a celebration for me?"

Bunny scratched the back of his ear and let out a huff of air. "Well...look, mate, I can't get past the fact that I witnessed you bein' the one to slaughter my home world, but I can understand that it also wasn't you...It's going to be rather difficult for me to get used to seein' ya, but if you're truly sorry, and regret what ya did...North had the idea that if ya were to get believers...then we would hold a celebration for you. It's also for saving the families...but yeah, to celebrate you gettin' believers. We held one for Jack as well, and come to think of it...didn't I hear that Aurora got a believer too?" Bunny finished with wide eyes pointing at Aurora.

"Oh, you did? Who is it!?" Tooth squealed. "The first believer is always the most special!"

"Well, actually...his name is Jamie Bennett."

"J-Jamie!?" Jack stuttered out in shock. "He's your first believer too!?"

"My, how rare..." North commented as he stroked his beard thoughtfully. "...this is cause for  _double_  the celebrations! Ah, but first...we sleep. We need rest for big day tomorrow...well, all of you do. I will be setting up North Pole for celebrations!"

"Can I help you?" Aurora asked in almost a shy manner.

"Don't you want to rest?" North inquired as he gave Aurora a calculative glance.

"I don't think I could sleep now even if Sandy gave me some dream sand." She admitted joyously. "I have a believer and it feels wonderful."

North nodded his head and let out a soft chuckle. "Very well, you may assist. Would like to see what else you can do."

"Well, on that note...I have more teeth to deliver and Sandy has more dreams to give. We will see you tomorrow. Is that alright, North?"

"You have jobs to do! Why are you still here?" He told them with a booming laugh. "Shoo, go do what children need you to do."

"You have a good night, North." Tooth said with a fond smile as her and her mini fairies flew off.

_'You may want to keep an eye on this one anyway, North.'_  Sandy told him with symbols floating above his head, and a small smirk.  _'If Jack can't hold a candle to her trickery and prankster nature, you may have your hands full.'_

"Even so, I was a troublemaker myself very long time ago."

"You? A troublemaker? Yeah right!"

"Well...that depends on your definition of troublemaker I suppose." Pitch grinned mischievously. "Do fierce bandits count? What about ex-bandits who learned magic rather quickly?"

"So, I see you remember when you took control of the bear." North huffed out as he crossed his arms.

"Oh, yes...I remember everything I've ever done, and though I hated not having had control of my own actions back then...some of the things I witnessed were quite amusing."

"Wait wait...BACK UP JUST A MINUTE!" Jack shouted in excited disbelief. "North, you  _learned_  magic? You weren't granted it or anything?"

"No, I learned it. I was told I was a quick study. However...there were many explosions in my learning."

"Explosions!?" Aurora and Jack looked at each other like two children getting ready for the most exciting story time, but then Aurora's mind caught up with what Pitch had said. "Wait..." She started. "...you were a bandit?"

"In my day, the best and youngest in all of Europe! However, I am not that person anymore." He told Jack and Aurora as he pointed a finger at them. "However...the explosions still happen when I try something new. Makes yeti nervous and unhappy, but gives room for learning from mistakes."

"Wait...but who did you learn from?" Jack asked as he perched himself on his staff, barely able to contain his excitement.

"From good friend." North stated as a fond and reminiscent smile appeared on his face. "He looked after and taught many children, but I was his first apprentice to learn magic from him. Anyway, rest...big day tomorrow, and Aurora and I have work to do."

"Fine, but I expect story time tomorrow." Jack said excitedly as he flew off to his room.

"You know he won't let you live it down." Pitch sighed with a slight chuckle as he watched Jack continue to fly down the hallway until he couldn't see him anymore.

"Yeah...you're right, but that is tomorrow and this is now, and now...Aurora and I must prepare for tomorrow."

"Very well." Pitch rolled his eyes before he turned to Aurora and gave a slight bow. "Good night, my dear." Once he stood back up straight he noticed a slight blush growing on her cheeks.  _'What is wrong with me? Why am I speaking like this to her? Why am I speaking like this at all!?'_  He cleared his throat and looked at North who's eyes were wide with shock and wonder. "I suppose I'll see you tomorrow, North."

"Yeah, goodnight Pitch. Sweet dreams."

"Is that supposed to be funny?" Pitch asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"I thought it was." North admitted with a soft chuckle. "Good night." Pitch once again rolled his eyes, and immersed himself into the shadows as he made his way to his room to contemplate further on how and why he has been acting the way he has been recently. Meanwhile, North kept his arms crossed as Aurora still wore a faint blush on her cheeks. "Aurora? Are you alright?" He questioned carefully.

"Yeah...it's just..."

North narrowed his eyes and looked to where Pitch was standing, and to her cheeks, and realization crossed over him, but he was afraid that perhaps it didn't do the same for her. "Pitch has changed much since meeting you." He stated with a heavy sigh.

"Doesn't that have something to do with him not being in control of his own mind?"

"Perhaps, but he had been in own mind for seven years, and he has not gotten close to anyone. No one else knows this but me...but Jack had been trying to get down that hole for quite some time. I stop him and close the hole back up with magic, but when he did try to get in, he was immediately cast out. You arrive, though...I'm thinking perhaps you influenced him more than you think."

"Hmm..." She hummed as she rubbed the back of her neck. "So, where are we going to start first?" She asked as she twirled around to meet North's calculating gaze.

"We start in banquet hall."

"You have a banquet hall?" She asked as she followed him to the elevator.

"Of course I have banquet hall!" He said as they lowered in the elevator. "Now..." He started as the elevator stopped. "...follow me, and I will show you what to do. Banquet hall is right here." He told her as he walked to a door that was right next to the elevator, and opened it.

Aurora did as she was told as she balanced her staff on her right shoulder. Once she walked through the door, however, she nearly dropped her staff in the sheer wonder of it all. It was enormous, and bright, and beautiful. There were large candles mounted on the walls that were unlit, long bench tables that could easily fit a thousand or more people comfortably, and the windows off to the right were beautifully painted a luxurious gold with a red trim. "I feel like I'm in Hogwarts..." She whispered out in awe.

"School from book? Harry Potter right?"

"You've read it!?" She asked with her jaw dropped.

"Of course I've read the books. Is where I get some ideas. I read lots of books. Library up top is not just for show, you know." He gave her a bright smile, which quickly turned mischievous as he glanced at the walls.

"North?" She questioned with a curious tone. All she got as an answer was a short laugh, and a wave of North's hand. Then suddenly, all of the candles in the banquet hall lit up brightly and brilliantly. "Oh my goodness..." She whispered out as she stood in the warm glow of the room.

"Yes, impressive isn't it?"

"Yes, it is." She laughed out.

"Good! This is where we will all eat, and dance."

"Dance?" She questioned quickly with a slight squeak in her voice.

"Yes, of course. It will be a small celebration, but one none the less, and even the smallest of celebrations deserve music and dancing. Now...yeti should be here soon with decorations, but until then...let me ask you something that I asked your little brother seven years ago."

"What would that be?" She inquired as she sat on one of the benches.

"What is your center?" He asked as he sat on the bench opposite of her.

"My center?" She asked as she narrowed her eyes at him.

'They are certainly alike. Definitely siblings...no question about it.' He gave a soft chuckle and nodded his head. "That's right. Your center. Now...you've heard my heart song, and though I may not know what it is, I can take guess that you can see all of the layers beneath the outer one."

"You mean who you are on the inside?"

"Yes! So, what is it you see from most outer layer to most inner layer?"

"Hmm..." She started as she looked at North thoughtfully. "Well, on the outside if someone was just meeting you for the first time, they may say you're quite intimidating, but once someone gets to know you...you're jolly..." She gave a bright smile at the word before she continued. "...the whole bandit thing and your past makes you rather mysterious. You've faced many things of which I don't know of, but I imagine that facing them would make you seemingly fearless. The way you all have taken such good care of my brother...well...and the way you have rooms for everyone...I can see that your incredibly caring...and...the last layer I suppose...the way you look at the world and especially your friends. You are full of wonder and are able to see the wonder and magic in everything."

North blinked at her a few times, surprised that she guessed each one without fail, but after a few moments his surprise turned into a look of pride. "Yes, that's exactly right, and that last layer is my center. Do you know your brother's center?" She shook her head with a small smile as her answer. "He thinks his center is Fun, but really it's Joy. He has brought so much joy to others including us Guardians, and he hadn't even meant to. It was just who he always was, and therefore, it was and is his center. I knew this just after meeting him. Do you know what I see in you?"

"No."

"I can see that your six layers are rather interesting. You see, the first one tells me that on the outside, when people meet you, you are rather friendly. However, just a little further and you are mischievous, protective, determined, shy, and...well...I know your center...but the real question is...do you know it?"

"I...I don't know..." She admitted as she seemed to slump in her chair.

"Well, I won't make you go through the entire journey of finding it out like I did with Jack...so let me ask you a few more questions to help you find out. First question, what do you feel when you hear another person's heart song after you bring it out of them?"

"Well...I feel...happy. It makes me feel joyful when I hear the lyrics, and I...sometimes I..."

"Hmm...onto next question...Why did Man in Moon change you into a spirit?"

"I don't really know...he offered me the chance to give others what I feel when I hear music...and I accepted."

"Okay..." He nodded his head in understanding. "...third question...What do you truly feel like doing when you hear music play? Whether it's a heart song or not...if music plays...what do you feel like doing?"

"I..." She started with a hard blush gracing her pale features.

"I sense you are afraid of becoming one with your center...but you are already one with your center."

"What...what does that mean?"

"It means you are afraid to be your center. You have nothing to be afraid of though. So, what is it you feel like doing when you hear music?"

"I...feel...I want...to be free...I want to dance and sing to my hearts content...I don't want to be limited or judged by other people when I dance...and I...I don't know how to dance like others know how to dance so I...I dance my own dance...and I'm afraid others will judge me for it and I don't want them to..."

"I see." North sighed. "Aurora...you have nothing to fear here. We are all very different beings here. You read Pitch's story...Bunny is well...Bunny." He let out a soft chuckle as he gently took her hands. "...out of the many different people and beings in this whole universe, there is only one you, and only one person can ever be you. So, be all that you can be and feel all that you can feel. No one will judge you, and in fact...you may actually have a few people join into whatever uniqueness you bring, but it will be all you. So...with that said..."

"I...you promise that no one will judge me?"

"I cannot promise no one in the world will judge you, but what I can promise is that no one here will judge you. I for one will not judge you at all! How can I? I used to be a bandit, and I used to steal." North let out a hearty laugh as he still held gently to her hands. "Aurora...you have nothing to worry about here, so please...be as...much of your center as possible." North noticed the relieved tears streaming down her face so he let go of her hands to wipe them away as gently as he could. "So...what is your center, Aurora Muse?"

"My center is...Free." She looked up at him through wet lashes, and noticed the proud look on his face. The realization alone made her let out a laugh of her own. "My center is Free. To be Free and to be confident and to be unafraid to be myself...my center is to be Free." She took her staff in hand as she felt a strong feeling in her chest to fly, and with North's recent words, she knew she could. So, she took her staff and flew in the banquet hall laughing throughout the air until she couldn't laugh anymore. Then, she finally settled back down onto the bench and was pleased to see a large joyful and wondrous smile on North's face. "Thank you, North!"

"For what? I did nothing. I only asked you questions. Now, it is up to you to make sure those questions are never questioned again, yeah?"

"Of course! It may take some time, but I understand!"

"Good...now...do you still want to assist, or do you want to go to bed?"

"I...I want to go to bed just so I can wake up and see what it all looks like. Sort of as a surprise."

"Sounds good! Goodnight Aurora."

"Goodnight North."

Once she flew off, North couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle as he looked to the corner of the room next to the door. "How long do you plan to stand there, Pitch?"


	9. Revelations for Pitch

_**SLIGHT FLASHBACK FOR PITCH** _

Once Pitch made it to his room, he sat on the bed he was given, and took the time to contemplate everything. Onyx came from out of the shadows and shrunk herself to lap dog size once more, and laid on the bed with her head in Pitch's lap. "What is wrong with me, Onyx?" He asked aloud as he absently stroked the Nightmare's mane. "I'm saying things that I...that I haven't said to anyone in a long time...and her fear...it should have felt amazing and wonderful...but it hurt. It was practically crushing me, and it makes me sick that her fear is what it is. Not only that...but when I saw her dancing by herself...m-my heart..." He trailed off as he held a hand to his chest. "My heart hasn't beaten at all since I was human." He let out a shaky sigh as he dropped his hand. "So, why now?"

The horse whinnied lightly and let out a huff on his lap, and although most would just take it as a horse's noise, he...and apparently Aurora...could understand what Onyx could say, and what she had said caught him off guard.  _'Why don't you go ask Cupid? Isn't she the spirit of the heart?'_

"Talk to Cupid? Why would I need to talk to Cupid?" Pitch snapped.

_'Because, your heart hasn't had a beat since us Nightmares and the fearlings rushed over you. I'm your only Nightmare left so my words may not hold any weight, my king, but perhaps you should ask someone who knows the heart...about your heart.'_

"Hmm...before I go...may I ask you something?"

_'I would have no choice but to answer, so I see why not.'_

"Why did you not attack Aurora...and why do you seem so comfortable with her?"

_'You should really speak with Cupid.'_  The horse let out a huff of air before raising herself from Pitch's lap, and walked down to the floor, making herself slightly bigger.  _'You and that woman, Aurora, are quite similar. You both refuse to be your true selves, or in your case...when your true self comes out, you question why it has come out. You both fear rejection and judgement. You two are similar in these regards among many other things, but the other things I will not tell you. You should go find Cupid. I think she's near North's banquet hall.'_

"You're not going to stop suggesting it until I do, huh." Pitch asked with a raised brow and a slight smirk threatening his lips.

_'Not likely, my king.'_

"Ha! Not much of a Nightmare king now."

_'Perhaps, but you still have at least one Nightmare left, and that's me, so to me you are my king. Now...will you cure your curiosity or are you going to fester in it?'_

Pitch let out an amused chuckle as he shifted into the darkness and made his way to North's banquet hall, but to his surprise, he didn't see nor sense Cupid. However, he did see a light coming from the banquet hall. North had apparently lit the candles, and he could hear North and Aurora talking. Deciding that he may get some answers here instead, he shifted deeper into the shadows and became one with the shadow in the corner of the room as he watched North sit down across from Aurora.

"What is your center?"

"My center?"

"That's right. Your center. Now...you've heard my heart song, and though I may not know what it is, I can take guess that you can see all of the layers beneath the outer one."

"You mean who you are on the inside?"

"Yes! So, what is it you see from most outer layer to most inner layer?"

"Hmm...Well, on the outside if someone was just meeting you for the first time, they may say you're quite intimidating, but once someone gets to know you...you're jolly...the whole bandit thing and your past makes you rather mysterious. You've faced many things of which I don't know of, but I imagine that facing them would make you seemingly fearless. The way you all have taken such good care of my brother...well...and the way you have rooms for everyone...I can see that your incredibly caring...and...the last layer I suppose...the way you look at the world and especially your friends. You are full of wonder and are able to see the wonder and magic in everything."

North blinked at her a few times, surprised that she guessed each one without fail, but after a few moments his surprise turned into a look of pride. "Yes, that's exactly right, and that last layer is my center. Do you know your brother's center?" She shook her head with a small smile as her answer, and that smile alone was enough to make Pitch's heart feel warm for some reason. "He thinks his center is Fun, but really it's Joy. He has brought so much joy to others including us Guardians, and he hadn't even meant to. It was just who he always was, and therefore, it was and is his center. I knew this just after meeting him. Do you know what I see in you?"

"No."

"I can see that your six layers are rather interesting. You see, the first one tells me that on the outside, when people meet you, you are rather friendly. However, just a little further and you are mischievous, protective, determined, shy, and...well...I know your center...but the real question is...do you know it?"

"I...I don't know..."

"Well, I won't make you go through the entire journey of finding it out like I did with Jack...so let me ask you a few more questions to help you find out. First question, what do you feel when you hear another person's heart song after you bring it out of them?"

"Well...I feel...happy. It makes me feel joyful when I hear the lyrics, and I...sometimes I..."

"Hmm...onto next question...Why did Man in Moon change you into a spirit?"

"I don't really know...he offered me the chance to give others what I feel when I hear music...and I accepted."

"Okay...third question...What do you truly feel like doing when you hear music play? Whether it's a heart song or not...if music plays...what do you feel like doing?"

"I..." She started with a hard blush gracing her pale features.

"I sense you are afraid of becoming one with your center...but you are already one with your center."

"What...what does that mean?"

"It means you are afraid to be your center. You have nothing to be afraid of though. So, what is it you feel like doing when you hear music?"

"I...feel...I want...to be free...I want to dance and sing to my hearts content...I don't want to be limited or judged by other people when I dance...and I...I don't know how to dance like others know how to dance so I...I dance my own dance...and I'm afraid others will judge me for it and I don't want them to..."

"I see." North sighed. "Aurora...you have nothing to fear here. We are all very different beings here. You read Pitch's story...Bunny is well...Bunny." He let out a soft chuckle as he gently took her hands, and Pitch didn't quite understand why, but that action alone made something twist in an ugly way in his chest. "...out of the many different people and beings in this whole universe, there is only one you, and only one person can ever be you. So, be all that you can be and feel all that you can feel. No one will judge you, and in fact...you may actually have a few people join into whatever uniqueness you bring, but it will be all you. So...with that said..."

"I...you promise that no one will judge me?"

"I cannot promise no one in the world will judge you, but what I can promise is that no one here will judge you. I for one will not judge you at all! How can I? I used to be a bandit, and I used to steal. So...what is your center, Aurora Muse?"

"My center is...Free...My center is Free. To be Free and to be confident and to be unafraid to be myself...my center is to be Free." Pitch watched in complete awe as the smile practically magically appeared on her face as she shot up into the air of the room and began doing flips in the air with laughter echoing through the hall, and Pitch felt that pounding once again that started to only become familiar where Aurora was involved. "Thank you, North!"

"For what? I did nothing. I only asked you questions. Now, it is up to you to make sure those questions are never questioned again, yeah?"

"Of course! It may take some time, but I understand!"

"Good...now...do you still want to assist, or do you want to go to bed?"

"I...I want to go to bed just so I can wake up and see what it all looks like. Sort of as a surprise."

"Sounds good! Goodnight Aurora."

"Goodnight North."

Pitch watched Aurora leave and for a moment he tried to contemplate the feelings in his heart once more, when suddenly he heard a familiar booming voice. "How long do you plan to stand there, Pitch?"

Pitch's eyes went wide as he stepped out of the shadows. "You knew I was there?"

"Since you came into room, yeah. Why did you come down here?" North asked as he walked over to Pitch.

"It is of no concern to you." Pitch tried to growl out, but it came out in a matter of fact tone instead.

"Ah, but I believe it is. You see...I see Jack like a son...so I choose to see his older sister as a daughter to me. You did not come here to merely spy on conversation. You wanted to know something. Something having to do with Aurora. What is it?" From within the shadows he could hear Onyx quietly whisper to him and him alone,  _'If you can't find Cupid, North would be fine too. He seems to be able to read people well enough, and as ironic as it sounds...this particular subject needs to step out of the shadows. You are growing miserable to live with, and I can't exactly leave, nor do I want to, so do us both a favor and talk to someone.'_ North cleared his throat and crossed his arms. "You going to answer, Pitch?"

Pitch let out an irritated sigh as he mentally berated Onyx for her words and her persistence. "I've been feeling...well...that's the thing. I've been feeling. I'm not supposed to."

"You said before you felt regret and fear and those feelings...you've felt before..."

"Not like this." Pitch interrupted. "...and it started when I saw Aurora...I don't know what to make of it, and...I really don't feel comfortable talking about it. I honestly don't want to have this conversation at all...but my Nightmare horse is being rather persistent and annoying."

"We will speak in private then. Come, I show you to my office." North had started walking, but quickly noticed that Pitch wasn't following. He turned around to see a dumbfounded and cautious expression. "What?"

"You're going to take me to your office? Did you forget who I am?"

"No, Pitch...I can never forget who you  _were_ , but the you  _now_  seems to show a healthy amount of restraint...or rather in your Nightmare's opinion, an unhealthy amount. We speak privately." Pitch did nothing but nod as he followed North to his office which was only a few doors down from the banquet hall.  _'No surprise there.'_  He thought to himself as he looked at the banquet hall door and North's office door that was now opening. "Come in, come in."

"You're becoming awfully trusting about someone who tried to end your existence seven years ago." Pitch mentioned as he looked around the room made of ice, wood, and steel.

"I have feeling in belly that you will behave. I also have feeling in belly about Aurora being the deciding factor of you leaving the hole in the ground."

"Hmm...well you wouldn't be wrong..."

"Belly is never wrong." North stated with a booming laugh. "Now, what is issue with feelings?"

Onyx came out of the shadows and nudge Pitch with a frustrated huff.  _'If you don't tell North or Cupid what's going on, I'm going to go get Aurora.'_

Pitch glared at Onyx, who then seemed to smile in triumph. She gave a bow to Pitch and another to North before retreating back into the shadows. Pitch let out a heavy sigh as he slid a hand from his forehead to the bottom of his face. "Fine...well, I went to go speak with her the first night we were here...and I thought she was asleep like everyone else, but Onyx told me she wasn't...so I went to go speak with her, but her door was locked. So, I went through the shadows and saw her coming out of the bathroom..." Before he could continue he was met with the tip of a saber. "...She was clothed! I promise!" The saber lowered with a slight huff and a hand motion to continue. "...Anyway...She...she pulled out her own heart song I guess...that's the only explanation for it...and I saw her dancing. I..."

"You felt something when you saw her dance?"

"Yes...I did, and I felt it again when I saw her dance just slightly at a couples house. She was only swaying, but it still affected me."

"What did you feel when you watched her dance first time?" North asked with piqued curiosity.

"My heart was pounding, and I was breathless as well as speechless...but I didn't want to stop watching her dance. She was so free, and wonderful and..." Pitch gripped at his hair and shook his head. "...and what is wrong with me?"

"Pitch..." North started in surprise. His eyes had gone wide with shock and wonder, and the way Pitch was talking, and the tone his voice carried, he knew what was 'wrong' with him. "...nothing is wrong, Pitch. You know this feeling...you knew it very long time ago. Long before turning into Pitch Black."

Pitch leaned against the wall and crossed his arms to contemplate North's words.  _'I knew this feeling once? My heart pounding...becoming breathless and speechless all together, and the fact that her fear...what she's afraid of the most...is something that during the last two days...I had found myself wanting to make her not be afraid of anymore. Not that I told North that...but...when was the last time...wait...Heart pounding, breathless, speechless, wanting to protect her from her fears, and saying adoring things almost instinctively...no...'_  Pitch's eyes widened in shock and his arms dropped to his sides as a cold yet warm chill ran through his entire body.  _'The last person I felt like this with was...my wife...and I was...So with Aurora I...'_  Pitch slumped down to the ground and tucked his knees into himself as he held his head. "No way..."

"You found out what feeling was?"

"I...North, I can't be."

"Ah, but you are. Is plain as the black robes you wear."

"No, you don't understand...I can't be...I just can't."

"Why not?"

"Because, I'm me! I'm the Nightmare king! I'm incapable!"

"Apparently not, as you have apparently have done what you think you are incapable of doing, or in fact willing to say." Pitch didn't say anything so North just simply continued. "Let me ask you something...What would you do if something were to happen to her...let's say...if someone tried to attack her mercilessly?"

Pitch's eyes grew dark and his brow furrowed wickedly. "They wouldn't survive."

"What do you think of her fear of being seen or being judged?"

"You can see that?"

"As clearly as I can see my belly beneath my nose. Now, answer question, because I know you sensed her fear."

"I sensed it when I first saw her dance...she accidentally bumped something off of the bed when she was putting her heart song glow...whatever it was...back inside her chest, and when I felt it...I took know pleasure in it...It made me sick...it hurt in my chest it..."

"That is how one reacts when they realize that a loved one is in pain for no reason...or at least that's as close as it can get. Another question, when you speak kindly to her, is it instinctive or is it choice?"

"It's...instinctive..."

"So...you wish for her to not be afraid, you instinctively treat and speak to her kindly, you make effort to try and speak with her, you would never wish any harm upon her, you wish to protect her, and you become breathless and speechless when you see her at her center...You also speak of your heart beat returning after a very very long time of not having one...I can see it in your eyes, you are not used to this feeling, but perhaps...it is there because of feelings for Aurora."

"I..." Pitch held a hand to his chest and took in everything North had just said, and remembered how he had felt with his wife, but those feelings weren't nearly as strong as the ones he was feeling in the present...it had taken time to develop some of those feelings further...they were there of course, and he was entranced by his wife when he first laid eyes on her, but these feelings were tenfold of what they were with his wife, and that was including the ability to sense Aurora's fear, which still felt completely and sickeningly wrong to him. After considering everything he felt and all of North's words, he began to consider Cupid's words from when they were on her cloud. She had said that he would have another love at first sight and it would be his  _true love_. At this realization upon everything else, Pitch immediately stood to his feet with wide eyes and shaking hands. "I...I'm in love with her...but...that can't...I...how..."

"What did you feel when you first saw her?"

"I...was intrigued. I was ranting at Jack, but then I saw her...the fight in me practically died when my eyes found her. Then, she was able to speak with Onyx or at the very least understand her, and then she showed me my heart song...all the while knowing who I was and what I had done, and she had not treated me with a shred of malice or caution. She treated me well...with kindness and respect...and I found it...amazing and strange and peculiar all at once. It was...enticing. I felt drawn to her in a way I was never drawn to anything before."

"Love at first sight can usually be that way."

"L-Love at first sight...Cupid had said..."

"Yeah...I heard what Cupid had said...about both of you."

"You really think I..."

"Most powerful feeling belly has ever had, Pitch. You are in love...with your love at first sight and your _true love_...according to Cupid at least, and if it involves love, I would be inclined to believe her. So, Pitch...you are in love with Aurora Muse. What now?"

"I...I don't have the slightest clue!"


	10. A Shared Song!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DO NOT OWN THE MUSIC OR THE LYRICS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! None of them! Nope! Nada! Zilch!
> 
> Song: I Wouldn't Mind  
> By: He Is We

_**Meanwhile in Aurora's room!** _

"Aurora...will you be a dear, and open up?" Alanna asked from the other side of the door. Aurora sighed as she gave the door a soft smile while she got up and opened the door for her dear friend. "Ah, for a minute there, I had thought you had truly gone to sleep."

"No, I couldn't possibly sleep now. North helped me find my center...and he said that I wouldn't have to fear being judged here...judged about dancing and singing that is."

"You were afraid of something like that!?" Alanna asked with wide eyes and disheartened expression. "Why would you ever be afraid of that?"

"Because...I don't dance like anyone else, and I often dance off beat just for fun and..."

"And that is what makes you unique for all the world, princess. Now...as much as I would love to discuss your conversation with North, I have come here with more pressing matters. Matters that involve you, and are giving me quite the headache as of late."

"You only get headaches if two people are in love but don't realize it...how would that involve me?"

"Oh darling...don't give me a migraine." Alanna sighed out as she rubbed her temples.

"Wait...you mean  _me!?_ "

"No, I meant Phil the yeti." Alanna snapped with pure sarcasm as she put a hand on her hip. "Of course I mean  _you!_  Now, we need to discuss this."

"Discuss what!? I'm not in love with anyone."

"Oh that's what you think. Let me remind you who you're talking to. I. Am. Cupid. Expert of the heart. Especially to those who may not know it. You've been my friend for a very long time...you should know this."

"Yeah but..."

"But...see...here is where I have a problem...I knew it the moment I saw the two of you. Well, maybe not the moment, but certainly while we were in my domain, and let me tell you...I've had the worst headache since then. Both of you are a headache and a half!"

"Wait...when we were there that day...you said that you would help me find out..."

"Yes, that I did. Ah, you were always such a smart woman." Alanna rolled her eyes and sat on the bed next to Aurora. "Princess, I want you to do something for me, and I know it may be difficult...but I want you to pull out your heart song for a certain someone."

"My...but how would you..."

"Expert of the heart, remember? You're not the only one that can see things on other's hearts. You're just better at physically pulling it out. Now, when you do this...I know it may be a bit difficult and personal...well, it is that way regardless, but I also know there's a trick with you."

"What do you mean?"

"Your heart and soul are one...so if you have a heart song about someone...you also share that song with them in your soul, and darling...when you do as I ask, because I know you will...if only to relieve my pain...when you do it...I want you to be everything that you are. I will not judge you, laugh at you, or even think anything bad of you. I want you to feel everything there is to feel and do everything you feel like doing when you hear it."

"Why would you ask me to do this?"

"Because, telling you that you are in love is completely pointless, and I'm actually fairly certain that somehow you would be immune to my arrows with your stubbornness. I have to prove and show it to you in the only way that I know how...by having you show yourself."

Aurora looked skeptically at her best friend for the past couple of centuries, and she knew that if it involved the heart, she was never wrong, except for about her own. She let out a soft sigh and started to pinch the bridge of her nose. "I can't believe I'm doing this...alright...who is the heart song you want me to play?"

"Pitch Black." Alanna said with a sympathetic smile.

"P-Pitch B-Black!? You can't be serious! I...he...we...he wouldn't...I couldn't..."

"I'm as serious as I can be, Aurora. You know I don't lie or joke about things like this...now please...play the song, and be as much yourself as you can, and read  _your own_  heart for a change."

"I...a-alright..." Aurora stood up, and Alanna scooted the rest of the way on the bed to watch what was to happen.

"It's alright, I won't judge you. You're my best friend, Aurora."

"Okay..." Aurora said with a slight bit more confidence. She walked to the middle of the rug and breathed in and out deeply and steadily. Then, she reached within herself with her hands on her chest.  _'Kozmotis Pitchiner'_  She thought in her mind, and found that the heart song was practically flying into her hands which was completely different from how her own heart song would go into her hands. Her own heart song would gently place itself in her hands. She held it as if it would shatter at any moment and stared at it in awe. It was a beautiful swirl of black and purple that danced in a messy harmony with one another. She couldn't help the smile on her face as she tossed it up into the air, and she began doing exactly as Alanna has requested and she began to dance in her own unique way to the song while focusing on the lyrics.

_Merrily we fall out of line, out of line._

_I'd fall anywhere with you_   
_I'm by your side._   
_Swinging in the rain_   
_Humming melodies._   
_We're not going anywhere until we freeze._

 _I'm not afraid anymore_   
_I'm not afraid._

 _Forever is a long time_   
_But I wouldn't mind spending it by your side._

 _Carefully we'll place for our destiny._   
_You came and you took this heart_   
_And set it free._   
_Every word you write and sing is so warm to me_   
_So warm to me._   
_I'm torn, I'm torn._   
_To be right where you are._

 _I'm not afraid anymore._   
_I'm not afraid._

 _Forever is a long time._   
_But I wouldn't mind spending it by your side._   
_Tell me everyday_   
_I get to wake up to that smile._   
_I wouldn't mind it at all._   
_I wouldn't mind it at all._

 _You so know me._   
_Pinch me gently._   
_I can hardly breathe._   
_Forever is a long, long time._   
_But I wouldn't mind spending it by your side._   
_Tell me, everyday I get to wake up to that smile._   
_I wouldn't mind it at all_   
_I wouldn't mind it at all_

Once she was done dancing, she was out of breath, and it wasn't just because of the dancing. She carefully, with shaking hands, grabbed the beautiful ball of light and placed it back within her, and once it was no longer in the air she looked at Alanna who was wearing a stunned expression. "Y-You said you wouldn't judge." She chided her friend before thinking about the wonderful emotions she read in the song, in the instruments, in the lyrics, and in the compatibility.

"I-I'm not...you danced beautifully...actually..." Alanna lightly laughed out with an amazed smile on her face. "...saying it was beautiful doesn't do it justice. Do you realize you actually danced as if you were dancing with a partner? Hands in the proper position and everything. Your body danced in the most natural way when dancing with someone."

"That's...impossible...I have never danced with anyone."

"Except...you did just then didn't you? You imagined dancing with Pitch. You couldn't help it, your heart song made you move in the most natural way. You seemed to have forgotten that music  _moves_  you. It doesn't just spark your heart and soul...it  _moves_  you! It makes you dance into a way that's right for the song...and that song...between you and Pitch...it was right."

"B-But I can't...he wouldn't...I couldn't...I..."

"What's the issue, Princess?" Alanna asked with a concerned look in her eyes.

"I...I...I know everything he was..."

"Yes, I am well aware you know who he was before becoming Pitch Black. The others have told me as such in small ways after we met up the first few times. You know he had a wife and a daughter and..."

"And that he is practically older than the Earth...and that he was general of the galaxies..."

"And all of that is supposed to mean something?"

"What do you mean?" Aurora asked as she sat criss-crossed on her bed.

"What I mean, Princess, is that you looked past a layer no mortal or spirit had ever dared to look past...and in fact...you defended it. You can't tell me you would do that for anyone. I know how terribly shy you are. You stood up to a Guardian...defending their longest known enemy! If it were anyone else...I doubt you would have the same conviction...well, except for your brother, but that's different. You wanted to know him, you wanted to have the chance to know him, you defended him, you convinced him to join the Guardians in a battle against a different kind of darkness, the way you speak to him...and the way he speaks to you...Look...can I just ask you a few questions?"

"Um...sure...?"

"When you met him...when you saw him for the first time, what did you honestly feel?"

"I...he was...I was intrigued. It wasn't just that though...I could tell there was more to him than anyone let on. More than the stories told, and I wanted to learn more. I want to know him more. I...also...I'm not afraid to be myself around him. Shy...very shy, yes...but not afraid."

"So...with all of that...and the heart song you just danced to, which I know you read while you were dancing...what does that all tell you about your feelings for Pitch?"

Aurora calmly closed her eyes and focused on everything they had spoken about, the heart song she danced to, which was really a soul song for Pitch, and Alanna was right, her heart and soul were one, but she also focused on the events since meeting Pitch and how she felt when she was near him. Then suddenly, her eyes shot wide open with a startling realization. She looked to her best friend, mouth agape in complete shock. "I..."

"You...what, Princess?" Alanna asked with a sly grin.

"I...I'm in love with Pitch..." She breathed out with wide eyes and a pounding heart.

"Ah! Miracles do happen!" Alanna shouted as she immediately stood up on the bed. "...and what's even better? My headache is gone!" Alanna flew up into the air with ecstatic laughter. Once she came down she noticed that the look of shock was on Aurora's face still, and she hummed lightly in sympathy for her friend. "You've never known love..."

"No...it was like you said when we were in your domain."

"I know...what I mean is...you've never known love...so you had no way of knowing that everything you felt...was in fact the fast and first beginnings of love...love at first sight and..." Aurora's eyes shot even wider if possible and she held her hands to her mouth. "What is it, Princess?" Alanna asked with a knowing grin.

"You said...you said that both of us would have a love at first sight...and a true love..."

"That I did." She replied with a nod in remembrance at her own words to them.

"So...Pitch is...he is my...I'm his..."

"Yes, Aurora..." Alanna started as she placed a gentle hand on her friend's shoulder. "...the two of you are each other's true love."

"I...I don't believe it..."

"Well, do you trust me?" Aurora nodded without hesitation. "Well then believe it, sweetie. I know what I'm talking about, and I know what I see. The two of you are love at first sight and true love. So...with that new discovery...what will you do now?"

"I...I don't have the slightest clue!"


	11. Oaths and Dances!

When Aurora got up from her bed after a full night of not being able to sleep, she dressed herself in a dress that was hanging up in the enchanted closest. It was a beautiful golden dress that had remarkable silver designs sewn into swirling patterns at the bottom of the dress and along the edges of the short sleeves. Once she finished putting her shoes on, she heard a knock at the door. "Give me a moment." She called out as she stood up from her bed and patted her dress down. She walked to the door, expecting to see Alanna or Jack. However, when she opened the door, she didn't see either. Instead, she was face to face with Pitch.

"Uh..." He started not knowing what to say anymore. He had planned to come here and do as North asked; to escort Aurora to the globe so that she could take the oath to be a Guardian, but now he was at a loss for words at her appearance alone. Not only that, but it only made last night's conversation with North that much more real.

"Are you alright, Pitch?" She asked with a slight tilt of her head as she tried to suppress the blush that wanted to creep onto her cheeks.

"I um...yes. I've just been...out of sorts...lately."

"You're not the only one." She chuckled out with a soft smile, and that smile alone was enough for Pitch to acknowledge his heart beat again.

Pushing it aside he allowed himself to let out a soft chuckle as well. "Your mind is troubled?" He questioned curiously, and received a nod. "What troubles you, my dear?" He realized just how caring and gentle his voice sounded and inwardly shouted at himself,  _'Get control over yourself! Remember, your here to make sure she takes the oath in front of everyone!'_

"Ah...well..." She started to stammer with a blush creeping up her face. "...just some things I've come to realize..." She muttered under her breath, but Pitch still heard it.

"Is that so?" Pitch asked with a small sigh, though he didn't know why he felt the need to sigh in the first place. "Well, the other Guardians wish to see you, and I am here to escort you to the globe." Pitch stated with a smile, but then a realization dawned on him.  _'North sent ME to get AURORA...that sneaky BANDIT!'_

"To escort me?" She squeaked out.

"Yes, my dear." Pitch answered with a small smile.  _'Well, if I can't fight it...might as well roll with it...for now. She deserves that much at least.'_ He held out his arm to her, and waited for her to take it, and that's when he noticed the blush on her cheeks. A beautiful rosy red color that made her eyes shine even brighter in his opinion.

She nodded her head, and took his arm gently, her blush threatening to increase in both heat and warmth due to the realization Alanna had helped her make last night. "So...to the globe?"

"Yes." He answered and started walking towards their destination which wasn't far. "It's so that you can take the oath to be a Guardian."

"Oh, will it um...hurt?" She asked, feeling quite foolish at her own question.

Pitch chuckled deeply and warmly, and it sent Aurora's heart racing at the sound of it along with the soft smile on his lips. "No, my dear. However, once you speak the oath, you will be tied to belief. Children will rely on you, and you have to strive to keep them safe. You'll understand when you take the oath."

"Have you taken the oath?"

"No, I have not. I will likely never take the oath, but that's fine. Many many spirits have never taken the oath. It's considered a high honor among the other spirits to do so, so you may have a few jealous spirits on your hands, but I'm sure Jack and the others will be able to help you."

"That's not right..."

"Pardon?" He asked as he glanced down at her suddenly irritated expression.

"It's not right. You help us with all the families and their fighting and you helped children be afraid of the consequences."

Pitch looked forward once more, finding that at her words, there was an effortless smile appearing on his face. "Although I am surprised and glad that you think so highly of me, I don't think I could ever be a Guardian."

"Well...why not be one anyway?"

Those words made him stop. "What?" He asked as he looked at her.

"Yeah, why not be one anyway? You could still do what you did out there for the past two days...and be like a Guardian...you just wouldn't have taken the oath."

"You are strange, my dear." He smiled at her, but quickly noticed the frown on her face, and found his smile softening even further. "...strange and wonderful. You are truly a wonder. Now, we should be getting to the others. They are waiting."

Without another word, Aurora allowed him to escort her to the globe where the others were indeed waiting. "Aurora!" Jack shouted in excitement.

"My my..." Alanna started mischievously. "...don't you two look like quite the couple." North chuckled slightly, but neither Pitch nor Aurora found amusement at her words. They both sent glares at the people they spoke to last night.

"Come..." North started. "...it is time you take oath! Sorry we did not do so last night. Thought it would be appropriate to do so on day of celebration."

"Sounds good to me." She stated as she slowly let go of Pitch's arm, completely unaware that it left a sinking and empty feeling inside him.

"Good...now..." North opened the large Guardian book and turned to the appropriate page and gave a warm glance at Aurora. "Will you, Aurora Muse Frost..." He trailed off to see her reaction and was very pleased when he saw a joyful tear in her eye. "...vow to watch over the children of Earth. To guide them safely from the ways of harm. To guard with your life their hopes, their wishes, and their dreams? For they are all that we have, all that we are, and all that we will ever be."

"I will!" Aurora said with a proud smile.

"Then, congratulations, Aurora Muse Frost...for you are now, and forever more a Guardian!"

To both Pitch's and Aurora's surprise there was quick cheering, but it quickly died down as North still held the book. "North? Is everything alright?" Aurora asked cautiously, but soon noticed the soft smiles from everyone, and suddenly felt very out of the loop and rather confused.

"Nothing's wrong, Aurora...now...Kozmotis Pitchiner..."

"WHAT!?" He squeaked out as he continuously looked from the book to North and then back to the book again. "You can't be serious!" He shouted, but not in anger. It was more in disbelief than anything else.

"Yeah, I'm serious. Manny rose crystal this morning once the other Guardians arrived. You two woke up late...anyway..."

Pitch immediately looked up to the ceiling and noticed that the moon was shining brightly into the dome. "Have you finally lost your mind?" Pitch asked with wide eyes, as pure shock and disbelief laced the tone of his voice.

Suddenly a booming yet incredibly gentle and amused voice sounded throughout the room. 'I _have not lost my mind, Kozmotis Pitchiner. I have also not gone blind. I have seen how much you've changed, and how you have come to your senses. You are no longer crazed with madness and darkness. You have grown much, and I believe you to be worthy of being a guardian. You will guard the children from horrible consequences, dangerous situations, and many more things using your shadows and fear. You could also make them happy with shadow puppets...but that's beside the point. I say you are worthy.'_

"Wow..." Aurora said with a stunned expression. "...I almost forgot what his voice sounded like." She hummed in delight at the sound, but soon realized what Manny had said. "Pitch! You can be a Guardian!"

"I...I wouldn't be any good at it..."

"You don't know until you try." Aurora stated with a firm and confident smile. "We'll learn together."

At her words, Pitch's heart swelled and he was nearly breathless at the smile pointed his way. So much so, that he couldn't help his next words. "Together then, my dear."

North cleared his throat with a broad smile as he looked at both Pitch and Aurora, who now wore their own versions of a blush. "So...Will you Kozmotis Pitchiner...vow to watch over the children of Earth. To guide them safely from the ways of harm. To guard with your life their hopes, their wishes, and their dreams? For they are all that we have, all that we are, and all that we will ever be."

"I...I will." Pitch said, and at his own words he suddenly felt a sharp burning pain all over his body.

"What's happening!?" Aurora shouted at the other Guardians who, judging by their faces, didn't know either.

"This has never happened before." North stated with an urgent voice.

They all watched with worried and panicked expressions as Pitch continued to clutch to his chest, but it was Aurora who started to notice something. "His...his skin and clothes are changing..." She stated with a curious and perplexed expression on her face.

"He's...he's changing..." North said in awe and wonder at what was happening before them. Suddenly, there was a loud screeching that came from Pitch's body, but it wasn't Pitch. It was the shadows that were in his body. They were burned and purified away from his body, and though they floated out of him, they quickly dissipated into nothingness with their screams. The more shadows that vanished, the more Pitch's clothes had changed into more regal clothing.

Once the screams stopped, and all of the shadow was gone. Pitch was crouched over himself, breathless, and sweating in his completely new and regal outfit. He pushed himself to his feet and staggered back quite a bit. Once he found himself against a bookshelf he held a hand to his head. "Alright, so I may have been wrong. That hurt like hell!" He stated as he groaned at the lingering pain in his head, but then he noticed the color of his hand. "W-What the...!?" He stuttered out as he noticed that his skin color had returned to it's original color and hue. His eyes widened in shock, and he felt his heart pounding hard against his chest, and for a moment was certain the others could hear it. Then, he looked down to his clothing. It was the same exact clothing he had worn the day he was consumed at the black gate. "I...this is...this was my...this was my armor when I fought the Nightmares and fearlings...when I guarded the gate...H-How!?"

"That..." North started with a huff of air. "...is good question." He turned to the moon and tilted his head. "Do you have answer, Manny?"

_'It was due to how much he's changed, his regret, his want to change, his want to be better, his desire to be better, and the depth of how seriously he took the oath when he answered. All of that...when he agreed, it had purified the darkness in him. Make no mistake though, he can still use it, but now he will be even stronger against it.'_

"I...I'm me again...?"

_'You were always you, Kozmotis Pitchiner. It's just you were also constantly consumed by darkness and fear. However, you are now in complete control and completely yourself. You are not burdened by the darkness any longer. You are simply able to control it.'_

"I...I don't know what to say..."

_'Well, I hope it's not a thank you, considering I've done nothing but decide you were ready to take the oath.'_

"As if that's  _nothing!_ " Pitch gawked at him. "Th-Thank you." Knowing he wouldn't get a reply from Manny, he looked around the room at the shocked looks he was receiving. "I...Well...this is...this is what I looked like before I became Pitch Black...which I guess isn't an appropriate name anymore." He laughed nervously.

"No, I suppose not, mate." Bunny chuckled out.

"So this was what you looked like before the Nightmares and fearlings?" Jack pondered.

"That's what I said, Jack." Pitch answered with an amused smile, but the smile quickly faltered when he noticed that Aurora hadn't said anything, just simply stared at him in a strange sort of awe. "Are you alright, Aurora?" He asked her carefully, with a soft tone in his voice.

Aurora quickly blinked and shook her head. "I uh...you...this was...the real you...I had imagined...but didn't think..."

"You...you're surprised by my appearance?" He questioned curiously yet cautiously.

"W-Well yeah. You...well this will sound foolish, but you actually look like a king of some sort."

Pitch looked down to his clothes once more and noted the armor which was a beautifully hand crafted metal with intricate swirls and designs etched into the armor. There were places on the armor that were painted a remarkable gold and sliver. The shoulders were golden, the chest plate was silver, the chain mail as well as the shirt underneath were completely black. The armor on his legs were also silver and gold, but the only gold that was there, was the gold that was painted into the intricate etchings. He looked behind him and noticed that he had his red and black cape still tied to him. "Huh...I guess...I never really thought about it that way before. However, I was just a general...I was no king..."

"Well, you're a king now aren't you?"

"Pardon?" He questioned with wide eyes.

"Yes, you are the Nightmare King. Kozmotis Pitchiner, The Nightmare King."

"I...I suppose you're right." He agreed with wide eyes, and he soon noticed that his heart felt more real than ever, and it was hammering against his chest. Then, she smiled up at him with proud eyes. At that look he lost his breath and his heart skipped a few beats. Suddenly he felt his heart feel whole once it caught back up to it's speeding rhythm and his cheeks warmed at the sight of her and her words.  _'Oh dear Moon...I'm pretty far gone in love aren't I? What am I supposed to do?'_

"Good! Now that all is settle...we celebrate! Now we have three things to celebrate. Two new Guardians, and the complete return of Kozmotis Pitchiner! To the banquet hall!"

The Guardians followed North, and quietly left Pitch and Aurora alone, giving them time to sort things out. "So..." Aurora started. "...I guess we'll all be calling you by your real name from now on, huh?"

"Oh, I don't know...I had grown to quite like the name Pitch Black." He chuckled out just before turning to get a better look at her. She was nervous for some reason. "I hear you've found your center..."

"I have! It...it was something I was..."

"Afraid of?" He offered and she nodded her head. "I found out early on what your greatest fear was...the fear of being seen or being judged by others, and I'm going to be honest with you...It gave me no pleasure like the usual fears did. In fact...it did quite the opposite. It made me feel ill, and I couldn't fathom why someone like you would be afraid of such a thing."

"W-What do you mean someone like me?"

 _'Well, if I'm not going to be able to help how I feel anyway...'_  He thought to himself as he gave her a gentle smile. "Someone beautiful, passionate, patient, fierce, a bit wild, strange, wonderful, and...carefree." Once he said the words, a weight that he hadn't known was there, lifted from his shoulders, and he felt somehow that both his heart and soul were glad of it.

"B-Beautiful? I...surely not..."

With a newfound confidence, Pitch leaned a little closer to her face with the same smile on his lips, but with mischief in his eyes and said in a low tone, "Surely...yes, my dear."

Pitch's voice sent a violent and strangely hot shiver up and down her spine, and she knew she wouldn't be able to stop the massive blush on her cheeks. "O-Oh..." Was all she could say.  _'Good going Aurora! Way to speak to your apparent true love...wait...does he know we're each other's true love? Does he know we are apparently both each other's love at first sight? What am I going to do?'_

"Oh, indeed..." He hummed out as he straightened himself. "...now, Aurora Muse Frost...will you allow me to accompany you to the banquet that the others have seemingly started without us?"

 _'The way he actually resembles a king and the way he speaks...he's going to be the death of me!'_  She thought to herself as her blush deepened at the wonderfully formal request. "Y-Yes..." She answered as she took his arm again.

_**oOoOoOoOoOoOo** _

Once they made it into the banquet hall, they both noticed that at least two of the tables were lined with a seemingly endless amount of food and drinks. The yeti had their own table of food and drink and they sat cheerfully talking to one another in their own language. "Pitch! Aurora! We were beginning to think you were going to skip out on your own celebration!" Jack teased as he swiftly and gracefully flew over towards them.

"Couldn't have that now, could we?" Aurora asked with a joyful laugh that made Pitch blush slightly, and now that he could blush, he had to try and remember how to keep it at bay.

"No, and North had the best idea! He said that...well...it's really up to you, but I think it would be great...um...could you use your powers...to create music from us?"

"What?" Pitch and Aurora both asked out of shock.

"Yeah...he said that since you can pull out heart and soul songs, that it would make the music that much special...and he told me...I don't know why, but he told me to tell you to not be afraid of it all. To not be afraid of being yourself and the music...anyway...what do you say?"

"First...who gave you chocolate?" Aurora grinned as she crossed her arms.

"Bunny. Bunny gave me chocolate and it's so good! I hadn't really tried it until now, and it's amazing, and I'm mad I never tried it sooner...so what do you say huh? Huh? Will you bring out our songs so that we can have music with the party? Hmm...chocolate..." Jack said the last part while pulling out another piece of chocolate from his pocket.

Aurora was at first dumbfounded, then irritated that Bunny probably knew what he was doing by giving Jack chocolate, then she started snickering while covering her mouth. After a short while the snickering turned into chuckling, and not long after that, it had turned into a full blown laugh. She had laughed so hard and loud, she hadn't realized she had let go of Pitch's arm to clutch at her belly. "Oh...my...goodness...You are...so sleeping...here tonight..." She said between her hard and joyous laughter. "...Oh my...I'm willing to bet...Bunny knew what he...was doing...giving you chocolate...but you...are...hilarious."

Pitch wanted to say something, but her laughter was like music itself, so he decided to simply chuckle lightly at the conversation. "So, what's your answer?" Jack asked rather quickly.

"Yeah..." She breathed out. Once she fully calmed down she nodded her head. "Yeah, I'll do it. Ask North who he wants to have the first dance or first song...whatever..." Without another word, Jack flew off to North, and started speaking with him. From where Aurora stood, she couldn't hear anything, but she could tell that Jack thought that North's words were surprising, and then Alanna stepped into the conversation, which then for some reason caused Jack to be further shocked and North to grow an amused expression of understanding. Then, suddenly, he was right back over to them in seconds. "So, what did they say?"

"He...He said that since this is a celebration about both of you...that the two of you should have the first dance. Cupid said a few things too...if the two of you don't want to...then you don't have to...they suggested that you use your soul songs...like how you brought out mine and Bunny's soul song."

"I...I don't think that's..."

"Before you say it's not necessary, keep in mind, Aurora, that we are the guests of honor." Then he gently placed a hand on her shoulder and leaned down and whispered into her ear, "Remember what I said...I don't understand why your fear is what it is. You can be yourself with me." Then he leaned up as he sensed the blush appear over Aurora's face and he gave her a satisfied grin.

"Um...Well then...uh...Who asks who to dance?"

"Who do you want to ask to dance?" Pitch questioned calmly.

"Um...Very well then...Kozmotis Pitchiner...will you dance with me?" She asked as she gave a gentle curtsy.

Pitch's heart was pounding with a feeling of elation and glee at her asking him to dance, knowing how afraid she was to dance in front of others. He placed a hand over his chest and gave a regal bow to her. "It would be my honor." Almost immediately at his words, the tables seemed to move themselves without disturbing the food. Pitch watched as she reached inside herself, and pulled out a beautiful glowing ball of gold and purple, and noticed her surprise. "What's wrong, Aurora?"

"I...I pulled the song out of me last night...it was black, now it's gold."

"More than likely thanks to your efforts to get me to work with the Guardians." He gave her a reassuring smile. "Now...I believe you need to pull out my glowing ball next, yes?"

"Oh, um...right..." She held a hand to his core and focused on who they both were and his name, then she pulled out a very similar glowing ball of light. She fused the two together and tossed the soul song into the air, and it waited to be played, but before she flicked her wrist for it to do so, Pitch gently took her wrist in his hand, and leaned down to whisper to her.

"Remember, you can be yourself with me, and if you would rather take the lead, then I will follow. This is all you." He straightened himself up and waited for her reaction. He was pleased to see a more confident smile appear. "There we go." He said and he allowed her to start the song, and let her place her hands where they were comfortable. Thankfully for him, she held his hand in her right hand, and allowed his other hand to rest on her hip as the song started to play the lyrics that she had heard last night. The lyrics themselves struck a chord with him in a way that he was almost unfamiliar with, and the more he danced with her, surprised that she was letting him take the lead, he found that his heart soared along with every high note, and every twirl he gave her sent a pleased shiver down his spine as a remarkable and joyous laugh escaped her lips. He soon realized that the lyrics were quite accurate to how he felt about her...he knew it now thanks to North's bluntness, but the accuracy of the song reminded him that this song was also a part of how she felt about him, and he felt many things wash over him as he continued to dance with her and her laughter. He knew them well, and now that he was himself, he remembered them well, but they were tenfold now compared to what they were, and those feelings were, relief, wonder, hope, Joy, and love. Out of all of them, he feels love the most, and for a moment he has to fight back the tears that want to fall because of all the good and pure feelings this woman brought out in him so effortlessly.

As the last lyrics played he found himself smiling fondly at her, and was pleased that the song wasn't too slow or too fast. It was the exact tempo he enjoyed dancing to.

 _You so know me._   
_Pinch me gently._   
_I can hardly breathe._   
_Forever is a long, long time._   
_But I wouldn't mind spending it by your side._   
_Tell me, everyday I get to wake up to that smile._   
_I wouldn't mind it at all_

_I wouldn't mind it at all_

_'Yes Pinch me, because out of everything in my life...this has to be the grandest dream of all...'_ He thought to himself as he gave her one final twirl on the last note. Once the song was over they were both a bit breathless, and he waited patiently for her to place both of their orbs in their bodies. Then, he pulled her a bit closer and kissed the back of her hand while he looked into her beautiful eyes, knowing full well that any attempt to slow the pounding of his heart would be in vain. "You danced beautiful, my dear."

"I-I...you're a...you're a wonderful dancer as well, Kozmotis." Pitch's eyes widened, and a smirk grew on his lips. He gently lowered her hand, but still held it, and Aurora noticed. "I uh...should play the other songs..."

"No, you two have much to discuss. That much was clear from the way you two dance." North boomed from behind. "We will handle music until you are ready to come back. Go and speak with each other."

"I...are you sure, North?" Aurora asked.

"I feel it in my belly. You two have much to discuss. So, go on."

Pitch grew a small mischievous smirk, and decided to test out something. He searched for the connection to his powers, not sure if it would be the same connection as before, but it was, and once he found it, he grabbed onto it mentally and made a small black hole appear beneath him and Aurora. Then suddenly, they were in Aurora's room.


	12. First Time and the Beginning of an Adventure!

"I uh...hope you don't mind that I teleported us to your room..."

"No I uh...don't mind..." She said as she noticed that Pitch was still holding her hand.

"So..." Pitch started after a while of silently and gently rubbing his thumb against her hand. "...that song that played..."

"Oh, yeah...I um..."

"It's how you feel about me..."

She nodded her head slowly. "And...how you feel about me. We share the song."

"Yes, I remember hearing something about that when I first met you. You explained your powers to me, remember?" He asked as he finally looked up to meet her eyes, but when he did, hers were downcast. "What's wrong?" He asked as he slowly brought a hand to the bottom of her chin to lift it up, and he was thankful that she allowed him to lift her head.

"I...You..."

"Aurora...you can tell me anything." He assured her as he let his hand drop from her chin, but the way she looked at the moment...it had caused a dangerous warmth in his chest, and he wanted her to feel that fire more than anything, and he knew it was quite fast, even for him, but he found that a lot of things were with her. Not wanting to focus on that quite yet, he decided to listen to her.

"Right...well...I...I recently...do you remember when we were in Cupid's domain?" He gave her a nod along with a gentle smile. "Alright...well...I believe she was right, and I found out who that person was...is...for me. I-It's you...I'm in love with you, and I...I've never known love...I've never been courted I...I don't think I want to be courted like everyone else...and I...well...that's...Look, I'm in love with you, and I don't know what I'm doing, and you've been in love before so your far more experienced than I am and...I..."

"My, my, my...you really are shy, my love." Pitch stated in a low voice.

The last two words caught Aurora's attention, and her eyes shot up to meet Pitch's silver ones, which no longer held the golden glow from before, likely due to the fearlings and Nightmares. "Y-Your what?"

"You're not the only one who's realized a few things. I'm in love with you too...my true love."

"T-True love..."

"That's what Cupid said. My next love at first sight would be my true love, and I've found her..." He placed his hand gently against the small of her back as he pulled them closer to one another. "...right here."

"O-Oh..." She stammered out, suddenly aware of where Pitch's hand was, and it felt like it was on fire, and that fire was spreading.

Pitch gave her a mischievous smirk which quickly turned into a soft smile as he looked into her surprised eyes. "I may be the Nightmare king, but I am at your command, my love. You give the order and it's yours. You want me to stop, I'll stop. However, if you don't want me to stop, then if you would like...the two of us could find out what you like and don't like." Pitch was both enjoying and hating his newfound confidence, which was gained from the lyrics in the song that they share. He was enjoying it, because he was able to love someone, and their feelings were returned. He hated it because he didn't want to say the wrong thing and ruin everything.

"I...what would...um..." She couldn't stop the warmth on her back from spreading everywhere else, and the way his voice sounded in her ears made her glad that he had a hold of her. "I don't...I only know the basics of what I think you're implying..."

A new type of mischief crossed pitch's features as he slowly moved his lips to her ears. "I don't remember implying anything." He whispered into her ear. "I'm pretty sure I was quite obvious, unless I need to be more obvious..." He trailed off and gave a simple kiss at the top of her ear. After feeling the slight tremble she gave off at the action, he pulled away with a pleased smile. "Just remember...I am at your command this night..."

"Only this night?" She questioned with a smirk, feeling how quickly her confidence was beginning to grow. It seemed to always grow when they were together. Like she had said to Cupid, she's not afraid around him. Shy, yes, but even that was beginning to have it's limits with him after they both confessed their feelings.

"As many nights as you want, my love." Pitch breathed out, feeling the warmth from before practically burn through his chest. "You say stop, I'll stop. You say go and I'll do whatever you ask of me. If you don't want me to continue my advances this way, then I will stop and respect your wishes."

Aurora honestly contemplated it for a moment as she looked at Pitch. Cupid was right, she had never known love and she has never known the type of intimacy that Pitch was suggesting, but he also told her that he would stop if she wished it. He had said that he was at her command. At his words and the way he was holding her, along with the dance they had just danced, and how it affected her heart and confidence around him, it made her think of just what type of relationship would she want, and it was so clearly the one that Pitch was offering. A respect of boundaries, love, intimacy, dancing, and filled with adventure. The last two she took as an implication, but it was an enticing thought, and Pitch had also offered to see what she liked or didn't like and she couldn't think of a better time to figure out such things than the present. She allowed the grin on her face to appear and she brought herself just a bit closer to Pitch with a new bout of confidence roaring like a fire in her chest. "You'll respect my wishes?" She tested.

"As if they were my own." He promised as he felt the heat in his body grow once more.

After everything that's happened, and with her new found confidence when she's with Pitch, she knew what she wanted with him, and it caused a mischievous and adventurous smile to grace her features. "I wish for you to kiss me the way you want to. It's not just about me, it's about getting to know you as well. It's no fun if I'm getting all the-" She was immediately cut off with her body being drawn into his, and as his lips softly yet fiercely found their way to hers. She could feel everything at once. The hand around her waist, the other hand in her hair, the armor against her body, and the need and desire practically dripping from Pitch's lips. As he moved, she moved with him, and she decided that she would try something. She traced his bottom lip with her tongue, receiving an immediate gasp from Pitch, allowing her to dive her tongue into his mouth. The second her exploration started she realized that he tasted of mint and Earl gray tea, and it was making her dizzy. Then Pitch let out a gasp as well as a moan at the same time when her tongue reached the roof of his mouth, and she couldn't help the smile on her face when she felt his grip in her hair and around her waist tighten just slightly. "So, I take it that's something you like..." She purred as she continued to kiss him in the same way, earning more of the same noises that she decided she absolutely loved coming from him.

"I...think..." He breathed out in between kisses and gasps. "...I think...perhaps you and...Cupid were...lying to me...you had to have...done...this before..."

Aurora pulled away from the kiss with a satisfied smirk on her face.  _'Oh yeah...I could get used to this.'_  She thought to herself when she saw the desperate need in Pitch's eyes to be reconnected with the kiss. "I haven't. I'm being completely honest. This is all completely new to me."

"Then, I may have my work cut out for me as my words still stand. You give the word and I'll do as you ask."

"That's a lot of power to give a woman." She stated with a slight look of shock.

Pitch gently took her hands into his and steadied his breath. "I'm giving you all of me. You've already somehow looked past all the bad. Aurora Muse Frost, I am yours."

"Wow..." She stated as she wrapped her hands around his neck, and was pleased when his hands found their way to her hips almost instinctively. "...Then if that's the case...I wish..." She trailed off, and with Pitch's arms affectionately around her waist, she realized she didn't want full control. She already knew that a bit at the beginning but she knew without a doubt at this very moment. She knew she wanted it to be an equally learned experience. "I want you to do what you want to me. If I'm uncomfortable with it, I'll tell you to stop...and I wish for you to tell me the same if I do something you're not comfortable with."

"Are you sure?" Pitch asked as his hands suddenly twitched on her back at the implications of the freedom she was granting him.

"Absolutely." She said with a single nod.

That was all the answer Pitch needed before he took a fist full of hair and gently tugged her neck back. He then began to kiss from her jaw line down her neck, earning the most beautiful noise he's heard as the moan escaped her lips. He made his way slowly down to her collarbone, and decided to lightly bite at it. The reaction was instantaneous. She immediately grabbed for the back of his neck and let out a low moan that made his knees feel weak. "Those noises you make, my love...they are dangerous." He gave it another gentle bite to gain a similar noise.

She let out a gasp and a short chuckle at the thought of his words. "Well then...will you brave the danger?"

Pitch laughed deep and low as he trailed his kisses back up to her lips. "I'm not sure..." He teased as he made a quick stop at her ear to suck on the earlobe, causing another moan from her lips, and his knees once again became weak. "...with noises like that, I'm not sure I would survive the dangers for very long."

"Only one way to find out...and you're wearing more than I am." She stated as she gently pushed him away.

He backed away and looked at her dress, then at his armor. He chuckled lightly and rose his shadows from their surroundings, commanding them to take away the armor. Once they took away the armor he stood there in front of a gaping Aurora. He looked at himself and chuckled once more. He wasn't wearing shoes, but he was wearing black pants, a black belt with a golden buckle, and a loose and open long sleeve shirt that was just a small shade lighter than his pants. "No fair if you don't put in some work, my love."

"W-Wow..." She stuttered out as she walked closer to him. His muscles were toned and and clearly visible. The armor he was wearing hid a lot of his real body. She placed a hand on his chest, and he let out a gasp. Alarmed by the reaction she was about to pull her hand away, when suddenly it was caught by a larger and more gentle hand.

"It's just been a long time since someone's touched me, Aurora. A very very long time."

"Okay...remember, you're allowed to tell me to stop too."

"I don't remember telling you to stop." He stated with an almost hungry growl as he slowly began to lift her dress, and was extremely happy to see that she was helping him take it off. When the dress was completely off, he looked at her with wide eyes.

"I...I'm not that...attractive..." She stated as she tried to cover her stomach.

He grabbed both of her hands and pinned them at her sides. "Don't you dare say that again." He growled out fiercely this time. "You are gorgeous."

At his words her heart exploded with happiness and her confidence returned in full swing as she jerked out of his grasp and began taking his shirt off. Once it was off, her breath was caught in her throat.  _'Dear moon...where do all the muscles come from!?'_  She thought to herself as she traced the muscles along his forearms and up to his triceps, which earned a couple of gasps and a moan. "N-Not that I don't enjoy this...but...if you keep touching me like you are...I'm not...I'm not going to be able to stand much longer."

"What do you want to do?" She asked as she placed a kiss on his shoulder along with a soft bite.

"Bed!" He growled out at the bite. "Now!" He wrapped his arms around her butt and picked her up like she was the lightest thing on Earth before tossing her onto the bed, soon following her onto the rest of the bed. He started kissing her belly, earning more of the noises he found so beautiful, but when he placed a soft kiss beneath her breasts he quickly her a combination of a moan and a gasp as she gripped his arms. Quickly understanding that he was allowed to continue, he decided to unclasp her bra with his right hand, and was thankful he got it on the first try. He felt her kick her shoes off as well as the socks, and he found himself in awe at her appearance underneath him. She was the most beautiful woman in the world to him at the moment and she still had self confidence issues.  _'Let's fix that, shall we?'_  He thought to himself as he grabbed her left breast and started massaging it, as he gave gentle kisses on the other until he reached her nipple and began to lightly suck on it. The moan that came out of her mouth was loud and now Pitch was suddenly grateful that the rooms were all soundproof. However, the more he sucked the more she moaned, and the noises he was causing from this woman who had never done this before...it started to affect him, and he began to moan with her as he felt his dick grow harder and harder.

"K-Kozmotis!" She moaned out, and it caused Pitch to let out a groan as he felt that moan all over his entire body.

"A-Again..." He begged breathlessly as he lifted himself from her breasts.

"Again?"

"My name...say it again..." He requested as he placed his mouth on her left breast and started massaging the right side.

The pleasure of it alone sent shivers through her whole body and she couldn't help but answer his request. "Kozmotis..." She moaned out in a low and pleasure filled tone.

"I'm never going to be able to hear my name coming from your lips the same way again after tonight. I just know it."

"Kozmotis...you're...overdressed." She stated in a way that surprised even her.

Pitch lifted himself from her, and looked at her body. "You're wearing just as much as I'm wearing. Pants and underwear." Pitch cautiously started to tug at her pants as well as her panties when he glanced at her. Once she nodded at him, telling him that it was okay, he took off both articles of clothing and found her even more beautiful having seen all of her now.

"You're still wearing too much..." She said and gently grabbed his shoulders motioning for him to lay on the bed.

"I take it you want to remove my last bits of clothes?" He questioned in a low voice as he laid his back on the bed and his head on the pillow

"Is that bad?" She questioned as she grabbed his belt and started to remove it.

"Not at all. I was beginning to worry you didn't want to. It was getting a little tight."

"Hmm?" She asked as she tilted her head.

He let out a fond chuckle as he lifted his hips for the belt to be removed the rest of the way. "You'll see, my love." He repeated the action as she started to remove his pants and what seemed to be boxers. Once they were off, she quickly understood what he meant. Right in front of her face was his dick at what had to be a solid seven inches long and it was thick. "Judging by the look on your face and the blush in your cheeks, I take it that you like what you see."

 _'Like what I see? My body is burning, and all of the heat is rushing towards my legs, settling in between my thighs!'_  However, she couldn't say all of that so she just merely nodded her head and for once, allowed instinct and confidence to rule for just a bit and she lowered her mouth onto the large member, quickly earning a loud gasp and moan from Pitch. She could feel the blanket underneath them being tugged at, so she chanced a look at him, and noticed that his breathing had grown ragged, his eyes were shut tight as moans spilled from his lips, and both of his hands were clutching tightly to the blanket.

"Sh-Shit Aurora!" He moaned out loudly as she continued her descent down his member.

She started to lift herself up to ask him if she did something wrong when suddenly she felt a hand gently grip the back of her head. "Don't...you dare...stop until I...ask." He breathed out between moans. "Now...I'm sure you have an...idea of what...you're doing...but just...go up and down alright?"

She wanted to nod, but instead she just did as he asked and the hand tightened around her hair, sending a sharp wave of pleasure through her, forcing a moan out of her throat, and almost immediately the hand that gripped her hair carefully lifted her head up from his member. "W-What's wrong?" She asked when she was able to breath again after the sudden shock wave of pleasure.

"N-Nothing, my love...you were doing fantastic...then you moaned with your mouth around it...I almost couldn't hold it in...With that being said..." He trailed off, still breathless from her actions, and he lifted himself from the bed, and walked to the dresser. "I noticed these dressers are enchanted with things we may need or want...so..." He opened it and was relieved to see a condom had magically appeared. "At the rate we're going, we'll need this." He stated and he made his way under the covers motioning for Aurora to do the same. Once she was under the covers he placed the condom under the pillow and placed a loving hand on her cheek. "Now it's your turn to be pleasured like I just was." He gave her a soft kiss on the forehead before kissing her lips and sliding his hand from her breasts, down her stomach, and in between her legs. "Do you know what I'm about to do to you?" He asked cautiously.

"Yes, I know that much at least." She stated with a slight shiver as she held back a moan from his hand simply being there.

"Then if it's alright with you, I'm going to continue."

"Heh...I'm kind of wondering why you're still talking." She teased, and earned a wonderful mischievous grin.

Not needing to be told twice, Pitch slowly plunged a middle finger into her vagina, and the moans that came out of her once his finger was all the way in was enough to make him shudder in pleasure. He moved it in and out slowly for a few minutes, enjoying the soft and repetitive moans coming from her lips. Then, he picked up speed, causing louder and more erratic moans to come forth as well as her hands gripping tight into the sheet beneath them. He slowed down once more only to put in his index finger and repeated the same action, reveling in the fact that it seemed to gain a more powerful reaction as she was now arching her back and moaning his name, which caused him to feel a bit dizzy from the pleasure of it all. After a while he decided that she was ready enough, especially with how wet he had made her. "I think your ready now. Remember, you don't have to let me do this. You can tell me to stop and I will..." Pitch reminded her, feeling slightly unsure of himself.

"Why...would I want...you to...stop now..." She panted out.

"Because I will be taking your virginity as I understand it." Pitch stated as a nervous chill rushed from the top of his neck and down his spine.

"You will, and I wouldn't want anyone else to have it. I...I love you, Kozmotis."

Her words caused his breath to hitch and his heart to nearly stop. He had though that her moans were the most beautiful thing to hear, but then she said those words and he felt his entire body grow warm, and tears threatened to fall from his eyes, but he quickly commanded them to go back to wherever they came from. As his heartbeat evened out he gave her a passionate kiss, knowing what his heart wanted to do and say. Once he ended the kiss, he looked into her eyes and smiled wider than he ever had in his very long life. "I love you too, Aurora." He opened the condom and placed it on his member. After it was all the way on, he made his way between her legs and slowly entered her. She winced a bit at the size and girth of it, and Pitch found himself wincing only slightly at her reaction. "Shh...you just have to adjust, my love. I thought I prepared you enough...just...adjust to me, and everything will be fine. Let me know when I can move."

Aurora did as she was asked. She had heard from Cupid in detail that sex or making love was different for everyone, and so she started to try and breathe calmly, allowing herself to relax. Once she was sure she was adjusted like Pitch had asked her to be she nodded her head to signal him to move. "You can move, Kozmotis."

"Okay..." He said as he began to slowly push further inside her. Once he was fully sheathed he slowly brought himself out, and then pushed himself back in, repeating the same method he had done with his fingers. As he started to pick up pace, he started hearing more amazing moans come from Aurora, and nearly all of them carried his name on them, making the fire in him burn that much more. With her legs wrapped around him, and as he massaged her breasts to draw out more gasps and moans he found himself drawing closer to his pleasurable end. "A-Aurora...I'm going to cum soon..."

"K-Kozmotis!" She moaned out as he started to thrust in and out with a faster pace. Suddenly, almost without warning, they both reached their climaxes moaning out each other's name.

Once they were both calming from their climax high, Pitch slowly got off of Aurora, grabbed a nearby towel that was on the floor next to the bed, and wiped himself up after he threw away the condom into the waste basket. Then, he grabbed another smaller towel from the bathroom and gave it to Aurora to wipe herself off. After she took it from his hands, he crawled back into bed, and turned on his side to face her with a tired yet blissful expression. "So..." He started once she tossed the towel into the dirty clothes basket. "...since we're each other's love at first sight and true love...and we've exchanged I love you's...I hope I met whatever expectations you may have had." He wanted to sound smug, but he was genuinely curious as to what she thought of it all.

"You've exceeded any expectation I could've had." She breathed out with a joyful and content smile as she turned to face Pitch in the bed. She saw the look of relief on his face and chuckled lightly. "I love you Kozmotis Pitchiner, and I'm glad you're my true love."

The words seemed to carry more weight than they did in the throws of passion just moments ago, and Pitch couldn't find any fault in it. In fact, it made his heart feel fond, content, and filled with love. "I love you too, Aurora Muse Frost. Words cannot express how happy I am."

"You know..." She started to giggle lightly. "...this was not the ending I was expecting to my adventure."

"What are you talking about 'the ending to your adventure'? This is only the beginning, my dear."

"Then I'm glad to be at the beginning of this adventure with you."

"As am I, Aurora...as am I." They both drifted off to sleep, and both wondered what new adventure would await them now that they had forever with each other.


End file.
